Layoffs: That Old Familiar Pain

Earlier this week, Dow Jones quietly eliminated ten more IAPE-represented positions through the layoff process. Management decided to outsource operations performed by the Princeton-based Content Curation team—resulting in a loss of eight IAPE members—and also cut two Software Engineering jobs.

Unless you worked closely with departments hit by layoffs this week, you might never have known why these members are leaving the company, or that they are leaving at all. You might never have realized that Dow Jones lopped another 115 years of collective experience off its payroll this week. You may never have guessed that management decided it’s time to say, “so long” to dedicated employees who have spent 25 years—and longer—contributing to the success of Dow Jones, because someone decided their work is better performed by someone who has never worked for Dow Jones at all.

With these position eliminations, the total of IAPE-represented jobs lost through layoff in 2024 has risen to 76. Management has cut 145 IAPE-covered positions since the beginning of 2023. While many of those layoffs were attention-getting moves both inside and outside the company, because nothing generates news like cutting jobs in News, this week’s cuts have gone largely unnoticed.

We noticed. Members affected by layoffs this week have noticed, and their families will too.

There is no contractual provision or law preventing the company from opting to eliminate job functions, to move work to overseas locations or to outsource roles to other companies. We enforce our contract’s layoff provisions and require the company to live up to its severance and post-termination benefits obligations. We call attention to short-sighted, boneheaded, bottom-line-boosting, management decisions.

We also send best wishes to our departing co-workers, colleagues and friends. There is life after Dow Jones. We hope you all find an employer who truly appreciates your talents.

Those Other Layoffs: Not Ours
In the wake of this week’s layoffs, some Dow Jones managers circulated a New York State WARN filing indicating 69 layoffs in New York were also underway.

That’s not us.

That required filing was submitted by News Corp last month in advance of the decision to eliminate jobs at the US Sun.

WARN, or Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification, filings are required when an employer closes a work location or cuts a significant portion of its workforce in a single location. In New York, WARN filings are required when a company cuts a third of its workforce, or more than 250 employees.

CWA Hurricane Relief
IAPE’s parent union, the Communications Workers of America, maintains a relief fund for members affected by natural disasters. Dues-paying IAPE members in good standing who have suffered losses as a result of FEMA-recognized disasters have up to six months to apply for CWA benefits. Disaster grants are also available through UnionPlus.

IAPE members who wish to contribute to members affected by Hurricane Helene or Milton can send donations to the CWA Disaster Relief Fund.

Monday, is That a Holiday?
While some of IAPE’s Guild peers in the United States have contract language recognizing Indigenous Peoples Day or Columbus Day as paid holidays, Monday is a regular work day for almost all of us at Dow Jones.

Except for members north of the border, where it is Thanksgiving weekend.

To our friends in Ontario and Quebec, we send best wishes for a safe and happy holiday. To the rest of you, see you on Monday!