IAPE@Work: The Week in Review

Photo Editor Update
A Reply From Matt
DJ Ends Vax Policy

Photo Editor Hearing on Hold
Thanks to the dozens of members who responded to last week’s request to support WSJ Photo Editors in their quest to become IAPE-represented employees. As we mentioned in last Thursday’s email, IAPE reps and Photo Editor witnesses were scheduled to appear in a National Labor Relations Board hearing to demonstrate why WSJ Photo Editors should be included in the IAPE bargaining unit.

Unfortunately, the Labor Board granted a Dow Jones motion to delay proceedings. So, we’ll take a short break and prepare to return to the Board on Nov. 15. Keep an eye on your inbox for another invitation to attend these public hearings.

In the meantime, you can support your WSJ colleagues by amplifying social posts from Photo Editor Twitter and Instagram feeds—or post your own! Please also check out https://cwalocals.org/unionize-wsj-photo for more information about this campaign. We want to make sure everyone knows that Photo Editors are workers who should be protected by the union and that their work is necessary to the Journal!

Note for members in News who are subject to the WSJ social media policy: If you would like to support your colleagues, but you have questions about what you can or cannot post on your own social media feeds, our CWA union parents have some helpful guidelines for participating in social media campaigns.

A Reply From Matt
As we announced on Monday, 245 IAPE members signed on to a letter to WSJ Editor in Chief Matt Murray expressing concern about WSJ News plans for in-office work.

On Tuesday, IAPE received a reply:

“Thanks for the note. As you know, we’ve worked hard to find a balance and to keep the workplace strong, and to do so in a thoughtful way for all stakeholders, including our staffers. We’ll continue to take that approach moving forward.  Best, Matt”

As for the union’s request to meet with management and discuss changes, Dow Jones has informed IAPE that representatives from Legal and HR departments are happy to meet with the union, but we should not expect participation from News management.

Dow Jones to end Vaccination Policy
On Tuesday, Chief People Officer Dianne DeSevo informed staff that Dow Jones will be “lifting the vaccination requirement for all of our Dow Jones U.S. offices on Dec. 1, 2022.”

Under the terms of the new IAPE/Dow Jones contract, the company has an obligation to provide the union with at least 30 days’ advance notice of its intention to modify or eliminate the policy.

So now, we want to hear from you: does the elimination of the Covid vaccination policy sit well with you? As departments continue to require in-office work at least occasionally, are you more or less comfortable knowing Dow Jones will no longer restrict office access to vaccinated individuals only?

Contact us by emailing union@iape1096.org and let us know.

News In-Office Work: IAPE Members Speak Out

On Sept. 15, Wall Street Journal Editor in Chief Matt Murray announced changes to in-office working plans for WSJ News staff. Effective Nov. 1, employees are required to work from offices—or, for newsgathering personnel, in the field—at least three days per week.

Today, 245 IAPE members in News departments responded with a letter to Matt.

Signing on to a statement drafted by the IAPE Board of Directors, members told Matt, “We believe it essential to retain a hybrid work environment in which the decision of where to work belongs first with the employee. When employees feel empowered, morale and productivity increase.”

“A majority of IAPE-represented WSJ News staff want management to maintain the option for a hybrid working situation into the future.”

In a NewsNet post last week, Kate Ortega shared responses to office work questions raised by IAPE during a Sept. 22 meeting of the IAPE and Dow Jones Labor/Management Committee. However, the union has yet to receive a reply to a request to meet and discuss the in-office plan for WSJ News.

NLRB to Decide on WSJ Photo Editors
WSJ Photo Editors have petitioned the National Labor Relations Board to review a request to join IAPE. The NLRB has scheduled hearings to review that request, beginning tomorrow, Oct. 25 at 10:00 a.m. EDT, with a possibility of additional sessions on Wednesday and Thursday of this week.

You can read more about this filing and why Photo Editors should be represented by IAPE at https://cwalocals.org/unionize-wsj-photo.

Since June 2021, IAPE representatives have been pursuing union representation for WSJ Photo Editors. During regular meetings with  legal representatives for Dow Jones, the union has provided surveys, anecdotes, and other collected statements, showing that Photo Editor roles are non-managerial and should be included in the IAPE bargaining unit.

Photo Editors at The Journal perform similar job functions as their colleagues in union-represented positions, including research, reporting, working with freelancers, and supporting the publication of both the print and digital editions of the paper.

Photo Editors are not asking for a lot—they are simply seeking those same IAPE protections. Union representation will provide Photo Editors with a seat at the table for future negotiations, and better define the boundaries between their work and their lives.

This week’s hearing will be conducted via Zoom and is open to the public — if you would like to attend, please fill out this request form!

Contract Satisfaction Survey: The Results

On Sept. 30, IAPE members received an email invitation to participate in a contract satisfaction survey. As we noted with that delivery, while IAPE members voted to approve our new, one-year contract by a 94% margin, we realize there is a difference between voting “yes” and actually being satisfied with an agreement.

201 members responded to our survey, with responses coming from all IAPE-represented business units, as well as all experience levels, from less than one year to over twenty years of service with Dow Jones.

Today, we invite you to see the results for yourselves.

We aren’t publishing any of the short answer comments because we did not ask for permission to print your individual responses. Overall, the additional information was enlightening. Members were pleased with IAPE communications, though some felt the union should have been more clear about when off-the-record bargaining sessions were held.

We also received a few complaints that the union failed to explain negotiated pay increases equal a pay cut for a majority of members, when factoring in rates of inflation. Others noted the company’s ability to modify in-office working plans, with advance notice to employees and the union, as falling short of member priorities.

The IAPE Board of Directors would like to thank those who took a few minutes to respond to our survey. Your feedback will be incredibly helpful to IAPE representatives as we prepare for 2023 contract negotiations.

If you missed the survey, but would still like to weigh in with your comments, please email us: union@iape1096.org.

Monday a Holiday? Depends Where you Work

Dow Jones newcomers occasionally ask whether the second Monday in October is a holiday or a regular work day. The answer depends on where the employee works and often comes as a surprise.

Under the terms of the collective agreement between IAPE and Dow Jones—soon to be revised thanks to our new 2022-23 agreement—nine holidays are recognized for employees in the United States: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, President’s Day, Juneteenth, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas, or the days celebrated by the United States federal government as such.

Indigenous Peoples Day or Columbus Day are not included as contract holidays. For IAPE-represented employees working in the U.S., Monday is a regular work day. 

Members in Canada, however, get to enjoy a day off.

The IAPE/DJ contract recognizes up to eleven holidays, depending on work location, for members working in Canadian provinces: New Year's Day, Family Day (for Ontario Employees only), Good Friday, Victoria Day, Canada Day, Labor Day, Truth and Reconciliation Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, Boxing Day, St. Jean Baptiste (Quebec) and Civic Day (Ontario) or the days celebrated by the Canadian federal government as such.

Regardless of which side of the border you work, if you are required to perform work on a contract-recognized holiday, you’re entitled to Holiday Pay—that’s 1.5X your pay for any regular hours worked and 2X your pay for additional hours. Everyone is eligible, regardless of your job title or overtime eligibility. In addition to extra pay, employees working on contract holidays are entitled to an extra day’s pay or an extra day off. Management has the discretion to choose the extra day or extra pay for holidays before July 3 in any calendar year, while employees have discretion to choose for holidays after July 3.

So, to our members in Canada, we say Happy Thanksgiving and enjoy your long weekend! For the rest of us, “see” you at work on Monday!

This Week: Raises and Retro Pay

Pay increases and lump sum payments for eligible IAPE-represented employees will be included in pay deposits this week. 2022 pay raises approved by union members on Sept. 9, as part of the new one-year collective bargaining agreement between IAPE and Dow Jones, will also include a retroactive adjustment for all base pay and overtime earned between July 1 and Sept. 20.

Members eligible for raises will receive the largest of our 4% compensatory agreement, our $40 per week minimum-dollar raise, or a scale increase. Lump sum payments will equal 1% of annual salary calculated prior to adding 2022 raises, with a minimum of $1,000 USD.

IAPE representatives will verify all raises to ensure every eligible employee receives the proper salary adjustment. In the meantime, if you have any questions about your 2022 pay raise, please contact the union office: union@iape1096.org.

RTO: Did you Request an Exemption?
As more Dow Jones departments resume in-office work, IAPE representatives have received a concerning number of complaints about management responses to requests for exemptions, especially those made for reasons of medical necessity. Members concerned about exposure to Covid are rightfully asking IAPE reps for exemption guidance.

If you have asked for permission to continue working from home and you believe management has failed to seriously consider your request, please let us know by emailing union@iape1096.org. 

Navigating workplace accommodations and medical protections can be daunting. We recommend consulting the Job Accommodation Network (JAN), a resource provided by the United States Department of Labor's Office of Disability Employment Policy. Don't let the term “disability” dissuade you! JAN offers free information and consulting services for individuals with all types of medical conditions.

Reminder: Contract Satisfaction Survey
In case you missed it, on Friday IAPE members received an email request to weigh in one last time on the 2022-23 IAPE/DJ contract. Even though the new agreement was approved by over 94% of voting members, we recognize there is a difference between choosing to approve and actually being happy with a new contact.

With that in mind, we again invite you to participate in the 2022 IAPE Contract Satisfaction Survey. This short survey should only take a few minutes of your time, but will be incredibly helpful to IAPE representatives as we prepare for 2023 contract negotiations.

Wednesday: IAPE 101
When you were hired by Dow Jones, were you surprised to learn that you were a union-represented employee? Have you ever wondered about your rights as a union member? If you have a half-hour to spare this Wednesday, Oct. 5 at 2:00 p.m. EDT, please join us for the next installment of IAPE 101 and see if we can answer your questions. Register by visiting the IAPE Events Page.

IAPE 101 is a Zoom presentation addressing the basics of IAPE membership: What is a union? How does IAPE function? How does IAPE fit into Dow Jones? What are the benefits of union membership? All these questions and more will be covered in this class, perfect for those brand new to IAPE, or even for veteran members interested in learning more about their union. All members are welcome; register today!

IAPE Directors Meet, Budget Approved

The Board of Directors of IAPE TNG/CWA Local 10986 met on Saturday and adopted a budget for the union’s new fiscal year commencing Oct. 1.

With contract negotiations expected to resume in 2023, the IAPE Board approved expenditures in line with the Fiscal 2022 budget. Despite another aggressive spending plan, with expectations for mobilization actions and events in support of 2023 contract negotiations, the union projects a surplus of $41,000 through September of next year.

Directors also discussed last week’s email from WSJ Editor in Chief Matt Murray announcing News staff will be expected to work three days per week in offices effective Nov. 1. IAPE is currently welcoming feedback from all affected employees as part of the 45-day advance notice period included in the new collective agreement between IAPE and Dow Jones. The union expects to discuss this new requirement for a third day per week working in WSJ Newsrooms when a monthly Labor/Management Committee meeting convenes this Thursday morning.

If you haven’t had a chance to send your thoughts on the Murray message, please do: union@iape1096.org.

IAPE Directors also approved the nomination of a new representative to the IAPE Board. Frank Matt, a WSJ Senior Video Journalist in New York, has been named a Location Director for the Northeast region of IAPE, covering New York and Boston. Welcome to the Board, Frank!

Directors also agreed to look at ways to revitalize the union’s Slack channel, and voted to begin meeting more regularly, rather than holding formal meetings only twice each year.

The IAPE Board will reconvene for another virtual session in October, but hopes to resume in-person meetings in March 2023.

Wednesday: Join us for Contract 101
Do you have questions about our new contract with Dow Jones, and how changes in the new agreement will affect you? Join us Wednesday for a short primer on the new agreement.

Contract 101 is a great way to learn more about the collective agreement between IAPE and Dow Jones. While we usually focus on specific areas of the contract during each class, this week we’ll cover all new agreements approved by members on Sept. 9. To register and receive your Zoom link to join, please visit the IAPE Events Page. Wednesday’s class is scheduled for 2:00 p.m. EDT.

Newsroom Announces Extra In-Office Day

We’ll get straight to the point. This afternoon, in an email from Matt Murray, WSJ News staff were informed, “As of Nov. 1, staffers should be here at least three days a week, unless you have previously been granted an approved exception.”

Under the terms of the new contract between IAPE and Dow Jones, if any departmental plan is implemented or changed to require in-office work and/or to require more days per week or month of in-office work, Dow Jones must provide employees and the union with not less than 45-days’ notice.

So, we’ve been notified. Now we want to hear from you.

What has your in-office experience been like thus far? Have you found it easier to work in-office? More difficult? The same? Do you have concerns about increasing your number of days in-office? Have you experienced the sense of "camaraderie" management says they've witnessed since July?

Perhaps most importantly, do you agree that you do your best work, produce the best products, and grow, share and learn the most, when you are physically together in the office?

Let us know: union@iape1096.org.

IAPE Board Meets Saturday

Your IAPE Board of Directors will hold its semi-annual meeting via Zoom this Saturday, Sept. 17. The September meeting of the IAPE Board sets budget and spending priorities for the union for the next fiscal year, which begins on Oct. 1. IAPE Directors will consider budget proposals tied to plans for building member support for a contract to succeed the one-year agreement approved just last week.

Members who are interested in attending should register via our website Events Page. Start time for Saturday’s meeting is 10:00 a.m. EDT; business should be concluded by 5:00 p.m.

If you’re not able to join us, but would still like to submit comments for the IAPE Board to consider, please contact your director or send a note to union@iape1096.org.

Tomorrow: IAPE 101
While you’re browsing our Events Page, be sure to sign up for our 101 series of IAPE information meetings, including upcoming Contract and Steward sessions, and tomorrow’s IAPE 101 class.

When you were hired by Dow Jones, were you surprised to learn that you were a union-represented employee? Have you ever wondered about your rights as a union member? If you have a half-hour to spare on Wednesday, Sept. 14 at 2:00 p.m. EDT, please join us for the next installment of IAPE 101 and see if we can answer your questions.

IAPE 101 is a Zoom presentation addressing the basics of IAPE membership: What is a union? How does IAPE function? How does IAPE fit into Dow Jones? What are the benefits of union membership? All these questions and more will be covered in this class, perfect for those brand new to IAPE, or even for veteran members interested in learning more about their union. All members are welcome; register today!

IAPE Members Ratify Agreement With Dow Jones

A majority of the members of IAPE The NewsGuild-CWA Local 1096 have voted to approve a new, one-year collective agreement. 

Polls closed today at 12:00 p.m. EDT and 94.3% of voting members approved the new agreement, while approximately 5.7% chose to reject the deal.

67.4% of eligible members participated in this ratification vote, the highest percentage for an IAPE election in recent memory, with 883 of 1,310 eligible voters casting electronic ballots. The Union’s election provider, TrueBallot Inc., certified the ratification results with a final count of 833 in favor and 50 opposed. 

IAPE and Dow Jones representatives will now meet to sign a Memorandum of Agreement. Terms of the new contract will take effect immediately and will expire on June 30, 2023.

2022 Contract: Vote by Friday

If you have not yet voted on the 2022 tentative contract agreement, check your inbox for a new reminder to vote from our election provider, TrueBallot Inc. Eligible members must submit their online votes by Friday, Sept. 9 at 12:00 p.m. EDT. If you are an eligible voter and you have not received a contract ballot, or if you have any difficulty with the voting website, please contact elections@iape1096.org for assistance.

Details of the agreement have been emailed to members, posted on the union website and presented during a series of IAPE town hall meetings. If approved, terms of the new deal take effect immediately with raises paid retroactive to July 1, 2022. 

Eligible IAPE-represented employees—those hired prior to May 1, 2022—will receive pay hikes of no less than 4%, with introductory pay scale adjustments resulting in immediate increases in excess of 8% for some. Employees will also receive lump-sum payments equal to 1% of annual salary, based on pay rates as of June 30, 2022, with minimum payments of $1,000 USD per person for full-time staff. Wages will again increase by 0.5% effective Jan. 1, 2023.

The tentative contract includes an extension of the company’s 2022 health insurance plans and a freeze of health insurance premium rates and other out-of-pocket costs for all members of the bargaining unit for 2023.

Other contract changes tentatively agreed to include an agreement to make contract language gender neutral and the inclusion of Juneteenth and Truth and Reconciliation Day holidays for employees in the United States and Canada, respectively. The physical fitness reimbursement program will increase to $700 per year, up from $600, starting in 2023. 

If you have questions about any of these new contract terms, please contact IAPE at union@iape1096.org.