Bargaining Update: Keeping Promises

A collective bargaining agreement between an employer and its employees—the union—should contain guarantees over terms and conditions of employment. That’s what a contract is. During negotiations today between IAPE and Dow Jones, the company appeared to finally recognize maintaining contract guarantees over benefits as a union priority.

The lone proposal offered by Dow Jones during today’s meeting withdraws an earlier proposal to require “coordination” of all benefits except for the IAPE physical fitness reimbursement plan. “Contrary to recent statements by the union, this proposal never included changes to the contractual severance pay terms,” management’s proposal document reads.

“To avoid any confusion, the Company WITHDRAWS this proposal.”

Let’s be honest. The only reason an employer proposes removing all contract references guaranteeing benefits is if it wants to have complete discretion to change those benefits someday. By forcing management to withdraw its proposal, the union has protected severance pay and all other benefits currently referenced in the collective agreement.

But what about new benefits? Surely this agreement applies to newly negotiated perks like doula coverage, out-of-network mental health coverage and the Day After Thanksgiving as a holiday, right?

“We can have a discussion about new benefits,” Dow Jones representatives said.

We will. That’s a promise.

Bargaining continues next Thursday.

Why Aren’t We on Strike?
We get it. We’re nine months into contract negotiations, with no end in sight. Management seems to be nickel and diming us at the bargaining table all while raking in record profits quarter after quarter. Newsrooms have been targeted for layoffs, and cuts outside of News continue with new layoffs announced today.

So, when do we walk out?

That’s the question many of IAPE’s Directors and Bargaining Committee members are hearing more and more often. There’s a simple reason why members aren’t holding picket signs outside Dow Jones offices this very minute:

We still have a contract.

Even though the collective agreement between IAPE and Dow Jones has a printed expiry date of June 30, 2023, the union and management have agreed to a series of CBA extensions keeping the terms of employment in effect. The current extension expires on Feb. 29. So long as the contract remains in effect, we agree to continue providing our labor in return for a paycheck.

But that doesn’t mean we can’t express our distaste for management’s contract proposals through other collective actions—like our letter to Dow Jones leadership, for example.

https://actionnetwork.org/letters/iape-members-deserve-a-fair-contract-now

Have you signed our letter yet? If you haven’t, take a few minutes right now—RIGHT NOW—to send a message demanding a fair contract. And if you would like to be involved in planning our next collective action, and actions to come, join our Contract Action Team.