Bargaining Update: Trying to Cap Costs

During a brief presentation yesterday morning, IAPE representatives delivered a new contract proposal to Dow Jones management. Union proposal 20, a response to the company’s Feb. 29 offer, addressed two items: contract holidays and health care costs.

In yet another attempt to pin down a commitment from Dow Jones to install the Day After Thanksgiving as a contract holiday, IAPE suggested guaranteeing an additional personal day for staff in the United States in years when management decides that day should not be a holiday.

More importantly, IAPE proposed a health care premium increase structure for 2025 and 2026 that would grant the company the flexibility to raise monthly premiums—including for those who purchase employee-only coverage—but by half as much as the company would like in 2025, followed by a strict cap on premiums in 2026, by tying rate hikes to annual inflation.

The union’s proposal also calls for premiums to remain unchanged throughout 2024, matching the company’s proposal from last week.

IAPE also delivered a formal information request seeking actual health care data for 2023. Dow Jones shared projected data with the union in September of last year.

Union negotiators and observers were optimistic that a company request to break for 45 minutes indicated the company might return with a more comprehensive proposal than its previous offer. Alas, when management returned to the virtual table, Dow Jones reps explained they were simply attempting to gather a response to IAPE’s information request.

Management was also critical of the union’s latest holiday proposal, saying that the company is “beyond competitive” in the area of providing paid time off.

What Do You Think?
The number one contract complaint members have emailed to IAPE has been the company’s reluctance to propose fair wage increases. But outside of union town hall and location meetings, members haven’t had much of an opportunity to collectively discuss these ongoing contract negotiations.

Until now.

The recently-revamped IAPE Slack channel is a great platform for members to discuss all union or company issues, especially contract negotiations with Dow Jones. Haven’t signed up for union Slack yet? We’d love to have you join the conversation! Register here for your invitation to join. Please note: IAPE Slack invites are limited to union members who register using a personal email address. Sign up today!

Keep the Conversation Going! 
Of course, nothing beats good old fashioned one-on-one conversation when it comes to talking about the contract and encouraging fellow members to participate in IAPE mobilization activities. That’s why IAPE’s Contract Action Team (CAT) is hosting our first “mobilizing conversations” basic boot camp!

Next Thursday evening, we will be learning how to have effective conversations with our colleagues—to build solidarity and move them to action! Mark your calendars for Thursday, March 14 at 7:30 p.m. EDT!

Sign up using this Zoom link: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIsdeygpzMpHdTbIHudR9rIhse2ejgks3IY

Invite your friends! Invite your colleagues! Invite your community!