Dallying in Davos, Devastation for DC

17 IAPE-represented and more than a dozen non-union staff cut by Tucker’s knife

IAPE town hall meetings Monday—join us!

This morning, there are Wall Street Journal reporters risking their lives to report the news in the Middle East, Ukraine and elsewhere, and, of course, Evan Gershkovich remains unjustly detained in Russia. No matter where they are located, reporters take risks every day. It’s part of the job.

Also this morning, more than 30 WSJ award-winning News employees are trying to understand why editor in chief Emma Tucker has decided their positions are an obstacle to her plans. Tucker opted to let others announce that news for her—apparently, that’s not part of her job.

Yesterday, WSJ’s Washington Bureau fell victim to a round of layoffs that were worse than any of us could have expected, despite weeks of rumors and media reports predicting significant workforce reductions. Meanwhile, we have watched industry colleagues at The Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, and The Messenger face similar situations.

Yet Tucker’s decision to eliminate 17 IAPE-represented reporters and columnists and at least 13 non-union editors—while also applying pressure on other, senior reporters to take layoff packages or face punishing performance plans—was completely gratuitous. WSJ is doing well. Dow Jones is doing well. News Corp is doing well. Analysts expect the company to report $130 million in profit for its latest quarter when it reports results Wednesday.

In a 4:59 p.m. EST email to staff, Tucker announced a “new Washington bureau will focus on politics, policy, defense, law, intelligence and national security.”

As if it didn’t already.

Tucker's representatives dutifully marched into the building on Thursday morning. At 10:30 a.m. ET, Liz Harris, Charles Forelle, Phil Izzo and Elena Cherney entered the DC bureau. Harris, staring at a piece of paper, mumbled something about a DC reorganization, saying people would receive individual meeting invitations by noon. She refused to take questions.

As Harris left the room, one employee fired a parting shot: “Hope you had a good time in Davos.”

For the next several hours, people stressfully refreshed their email inboxes waiting for a dreaded calendar invite. Some didn't arrive until after 12:00 p.m. EST, causing some to erroneously believe they were safe from Tucker’s cuts. The last one-on-one meetings didn't happen until nearly 4:00 p.m. EST.

Harris, Forelle, Izzo and Cherney would leave the room after just a few minutes, refusing to look people in the eyes. Members were told they would leave the details to HR. Harris, Forelle, Izzo and Cherney should be ashamed. Following orders is not an excuse.

If some of the Journal’s best reporters aren't safe, none of us are safe.

The loss is devastating. And while IAPE can’t prevent management from issuing layoff notices, we can fight to protect the severance pay they deserve—severance benefits management wants to control without contractual protection. We can demand our departing colleagues leave the company with as much financial support as possible.

IAPE representatives are still at the bargaining table, fighting for a better contract—one that makes sure our members get the pay and benefits we deserve as Dow Jones continues to post record profits on the backs of employees. We will not back down, and know the more than 1,400 people this union represents won’t either.

The union is only as powerful as its members. They can't fire all of us, as much as Tucker may wish she could.

We have heard that many members are furious about what happened yesterday in Washington. We are too. Let's turn this anger into action and ensure this never happens again.

Please join us on Monday for a virtual zoom town hall meeting as we discuss IAPE’s next steps and the current state of the contract negotiations. Sessions are scheduled for 11:30 a.m. ET and 4:00 p.m. ET. Register in advance on the IAPE Events page to receive a meeting invitation.

Bargaining Canceled Today, Join our Town Hall Monday, DC Expecting Layoffs

IAPE members, today’s contract negotiation meeting between IAPE and Dow Jones has been canceled, at the union’s request, and rescheduled for next Thursday, Feb. 8. Members who registered for open bargaining today, watch for a new registration link next week.

In lieu of bargaining, we invite all IAPE members to attend one of two IAPE Town Hall meetings scheduled for Monday. Members of the IAPE bargaining committee will be present to discuss the status of our negotiations with the company. Questions from members are welcome.

Sessions are scheduled for Monday at 11:30 a.m. EST and 4:00 p.m. EST. Please visit the IAPE Events Page to register.

Washington Expects Layoffs
IAPE-represented News employees in Washington, DC have received an invitation from WSJ Managing Editor, Liz Harris to attend a meeting this morning at 10:30 a.m. EST to hear a “big announcement.”

Several media outlets have reported the company is expected to issue layoff notices.

Management has confirmed to IAPE today’s meeting will announce restructuring of the DC bureau. The company has not provided the union with any advance notice of numbers of affected positions, nor any explanation why a media company performing as well as Dow Jones believes a short-sighted decision to cut valued News positions is necessary.

IAPE representatives will be in attendance in-person and via Google Meet and will be on standby to review any staffing decisions made by management. The union will ensure the company complies with all contractual requirements and will make representatives available to discuss layoff requirements with any affected individuals.

Bargaining Update: Tell Us What You Really Think, Dianne

IAPE and Dow Jones negotiators met yesterday morning to continue negotiations toward a new contract. The company presented a new proposal document, as expected. Management made a small adjustment to its wage proposal—3.5% in year one of the contract, but with no retroactivity—and agreed to meet the union’s proposed threshold for determining minimum wage increases, $1,500 per week, an increase of $100 from the company’s last proposal.

Dow Jones did not adjust its proposal to boost health care premiums by upwards of 30% for employees with dependents. Management also reiterated its demand to remove contractual references to all benefits, including severance pay, which would allow Dow Jones to have complete control over changes—and reductions—to hard-won benefits we all enjoy.

Was it a great proposal? No. But the union acknowledged the moves made by the company and pledged to return next week with a response. Some might say there was cause for cautious optimism.

And then CPO Dianne DeSevo clicked “send.”

In an email to staff following yesterday’s negotiations, DeSevo delivered an “Update on Dow Jones / IAPE Bargaining” apparently trying to explain how reasonable the company has been during these negotiations.

“While our previous wage proposal (3% increases in each year of the contract plus a .25% lump sum payment in the first year) was well within the range agreed to by our peers, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Associated Press and Reuters, at today’s session we made what even the union acknowledged to be a significant move on wages in an effort to progress these negotiations,” DeSevo wrote.

Dianne, come on. We’ve talked about this. Well, not with you specifically, because you haven’t joined your team at the bargaining table, but we’re sure you’ve received the updates.

In May of last year, New York Times Guild members ratified a groundbreaking contract containing raises of up to 12.5% for members immediately, followed by 3.25% in 2024 and 3% in 2025.

“But that 12.5% makes up for two years without a contract!” is what Dow Jones bargainers generally tell us when we refer to this deal. They always seem to conveniently overlook the “ratification bonus equal to 7% of earnings after March 31, 2021.”

That’s a lot of cash. Meanwhile, Dow Jones is trying to stiff our members on retro pay? Really?

Anyway, DeSevo continued: “Notably, no media company has agreed to the kind of outsized wage demands that the union has made. Continued economic uncertainty is also a factor, along with the recent and very significant disruptions in the media industry.”

We could respond to that, too, but News Corp CEO Robert Thomson says it so much better:

“Not only has Dow Jones doubled its profitability over the past four years but it is also nearing a landmark moment with our lucrative B2B offerings expected to be the largest contributor to profitability in Fiscal 2024 and a key driver of future growth.”

Finally, DeSevo offered assurances that Dow Jones would continue to bargain with the union:

“We’ve also been clear that our current proposal is not our final position and that we fully intend to ensure our employees do better than their counterparts at rival publications.”

We should hope so.

IAPE has repeatedly said at the bargaining table: top-performing media companies should pay top-tier wages. IAPE-represented employees have been key contributors to Dow Jones’s record profits. Members deserve to be compensated accordingly.

We’re worth more!

So, IAPE will return to the bargaining table next week after putting pen to paper and determining whether we need to modify our wage proposal. Members, you should join us for open bargaining. That way, you’ll know exactly what key points Dianne has missed when she sends her next email. See your email to register, and remember to update your avatar or meeting backgrounds before next Thursday’s meeting.

When will we have a fair Contract?

IAPE and Dow Jones contract teams are scheduled to return to the bargaining table tomorrow morning, Jan. 25 at 10:00 a.m. EST (sign up for open bargaining here!). With the eighth month of bargaining upon us, to say there is some distance between union and company proposals, especially with regard to wages, would be an understatement.

This must be new ground for IAPE and Dow Jones, right? Have negotiations for a new contract ever taken this long?

Well, actually, yes they have. Longer, in fact.

The recent history of contract negotiations at Dow Jones shows relatively brief periods of bargaining for multi-year contracts. In 2019, 2016 and 2010 IAPE reached tentative agreements with the company after approximately five months of meetings in each bargaining cycle. While each of those rounds of negotiations contained its own key issues, none of the items discussed at the bargaining table caused contract talks to truly get bogged down. You have to look back almost two decades to find examples of rancorous, long-term negotiations at Dow Jones.

In 2006-07, the Bancroft family was being wooed by Rupert Murdoch in his bid to purchase the company. Management refused to budge off 2% wage proposals—until they finally did. Union members were concerned about job security under Murdoch management. IAPE even tried to intervene in the sale. It took ten months to negotiate a new contract.

In 2003-04, Dow Jones had a goal: move away from its premium-free healthcare plan and start shifting costs onto employees. It also wanted a wage freeze. There were protests. There were boycotts. There were walkouts. Members overwhelmingly rejected one tentative agreement, sending a new IAPE bargaining team back to the table to get more. It took 15 months, from start to finish, to negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement.

Long-time IAPE members recall those contract battles from the past and know this: the company has little incentive to move off its current proposals for 3% raises and upwards of 30% increases in healthcare premiums. And the union, having twice modified its wage proposal, has absolutely no reason to move further until it sees a good-faith effort by Dow Jones to narrow the wage gap.

The bargaining atmosphere in 2023—and now 2024—seems very similar to those from years ago in many respects. IAPE members are angry again, this time over company proposals for wage increases that lag behind the cost of living and peer agreements. The environment is different, too: many members have been hesitant to get involved.

Member action in the workplace is always more important to a contract struggle than words and papers exchanged at a bargaining table. While the Contract Action Team (CAT) led a successful message-to-Almar campaign in December, only a fraction of IAPE members participated in the ”candygram” activity. Out of an IAPE-represented workforce of over 1,400 employees, 296 grams were created, with several of those filled out by family, friends and colleagues at other media outlets.

This is not meant to discount the extent of our first big mobilizing action this contract cycle. It was a great starting point and generated public support. As IAPE continues negotiations in 2024, the CAT will continue to escalate actions (keep an eye out in February hint hint).

On that note, the CAT is made up of your colleagues and meets weekly to discuss next actions and social media strategy. Like you, these colleagues have busy schedules both in the office and at home but have dedicated time to continue to fight for the collective membership. If you have ideas and would like to support your colleagues, please send an email to union@iape1096.org and inquire about how you can get involved with the CAT. Whether it’s writing copy, creating images, or coordinating actions, the more involvement, the better.

Negotiating a new contract is a process where agreements can be achieved relatively quickly or can take a significant amount of time. At the end of the process, the goal is to achieve the best deal possible for union members. That deal isn’t available yet, but we’re confident that it can be.

It’s going to take more work.

TNG Strike School!

The 2023 Strike School offered by IAPE’s parent union, The NewsGuild-CWA, was so successful, Guild leaders have expanded on the day-long class held last October and are presenting a series of workshops for 2024. 

Classes are available to all Guild members, including those of us in IAPE. The series opener, How to Build a Strike-Ready Campaign, will be held tomorrow evening at 7:00 p.m. EST, with additional classes offered every other Tuesday through April 4.

See this information flyer for more details and for links to register.

Today: Bargaining Canceled

Due to a schedule conflict, Dow Jones management has requested that today’s contract negotiations meeting with the union be rescheduled for next week. The IAPE Bargaining Committee will meet with company representatives on Thursday, Jan. 25 at 10:00 a.m. EST.

Members can still register to join next week’s bargaining session. See your email for registration links, we’ll add you to the meeting calendar.

Thanks for your continued support. Contact IAPE at union@iape1096.org to send along any contract comments, questions or concerns.

Tomorrow: Contract 101

Learn how to file and be paid for your time!

Join us Wednesday afternoon at 2:00 p.m. for a repeat presentation of Contract 101. This month’s class is devoted to an explanation of all forms of extra compensation for IAPE-represented employees: Holiday Pay, Overtime, Comp Time, Standby Pay, Shift Differential, and sale of Vacation time.

We’ll explain when each of these is available and how to file for your time in Workday.

While Wednesday’s class will be conducted via Zoom, as usual, we also have the Rangers Room reserved at 1211 AOA for New York members on a first come, first served basis. Contract 101 begins at 2:00 p.m. EST.

To attend, please register on the IAPE Events Page.

Thursday: Sign up for Open Bargaining
IAPE and Dow Jones bargaining teams continue negotiations for a new contract on Thursday. All IAPE members are invited to attend as open bargaining observers. This week’s meeting is scheduled to start at 11:00 a.m. EST. See your email to register and receive a meeting link.

Bargaining Update: We Deserve More

Also, MLK Day Monday – Learn how to file for Extra Pay

Contract negotiations between IAPE and Dow Jones continued yesterday with the union presenting a new proposal package and a complete listing of tentative agreements reached during 2023-24 bargaining.

Thursday’s comprehensive document from IAPE re-stated the union’s wage demands—a 10% raise for 2023 followed by 8% in both 2024 and 2025—and also included a brief explanation of why members seek such significant pay hikes, as if one was necessary.

“The recent thank you video from Executive leadership at Dow Jones reinforces the union’s position on wages,” the IAPE document reads. “Simply put, Dow Jones employees deserve wage increases reflecting recent company performance and offsetting effects of the current cost of living.”

The union package adjusted proposals for cell phone reimbursement rates and indoor air quality and withdrew a handful of proposals including a call for paid sabbatical leave after ten years of service. IAPE also recognized recent work on mergers of departments as a significant step towards improving job security, and offered agreement on seniority bands and extra severance paid to employees laid off within a band, but outside of strict seniority order.

IAPE stressed that its proposal for protections against AI—“Generative AI shall not be used to provide publishable content that could otherwise be ‘Bylined’ by a bargaining unit employee.”—is a priority for union members, and noted recent agreements by Guilds at Associated Press and MinnPost as precedents for negotiation over new technology.

Dow Jones representatives did not respond in detail to the union’s proposal package. A new company proposal is expected when bargaining resumes next Thursday, Jan. 18. Start time for next week’s bargaining session is 11:00 a.m. EST.

MLK Day Monday – Talk Extra Pay in Contract 101
Monday, Jan. 15 is Martin Luther King Jr. Day, recognized in the IAPE/DJ contract as a holiday for employees working in the United States. Employees required to work on MLK Day are entitled to Holiday Pay: 1.5X your pay for regular working hours and 2X pay for extra hours. All employees are entitled to Holiday Pay, whether you are considered eligible for or exempt from overtime.

Members who work contract holidays are also entitled to an additional day off or an extra day’s pay. The company has the discretion to choose the extra day or extra pay for holidays between Jan. 1 and July 3.

On Wednesday, Jan. 17, IAPE representatives will hold a repeat session of Contract 101 discussing all forms of extra compensation available to IAPE-represented employees: Holiday Pay, Overtime, Comp Time, Standby Pay, Shift Differential, and sale of Vacation time.

We’ll explain when each of these is available and how to file for your time in Workday.

While Wednesday’s class will be conducted via Zoom, as usual, we also have the Rangers Room reserved at 1211 AOA for members on a first come, first served basis. Contract 101 begins at 2:00 p.m. EST.

To attend, please register on the IAPE Events Page.

Back to the Table Tomorrow

Sign up for Open Bargaining!

IAPE and Dow Jones contract teams return to the virtual bargaining table tomorrow. Negotiations are scheduled to resume at 10:00 a.m. EST. Tomorrow’s meeting will be conducted via Google Meet. IAPE members interested in joining as open bargaining observers can register through links provided in today’s email to receive a meeting link.

New York - IAPE in the Building!
Members at 1211 AOA, if you would like to talk about contract negotiations or any other IAPE or Dow Jones matter, today would be a perfect day to stop by the sixth-floor coffee bar and ask questions in-person.

IAPE reps Kaitlyn Frarey and Marissa Dadiw will be in the building today to talk about all things IAPE. And if you are interested in joining the IAPE Contract Action Team, they will gladly take your name!

Not in New York today—or ever? Not a problem. You can always get answers to your IAPE questions by emailing union@iape1096.org.

Bargaining Update: We Waited for That?

Also, Register for Open Bargaining

Dow Jones Changes Parental Leave

Join the IAPE CAT!

With the holidays over, Dow Jones and IAPE returned to the virtual bargaining table Thursday ready to build on all the progress made during December negotiations and, with more than 50 IAPE members joining as open bargaining observers, hammer out an agreement for a new collective bargaining agreement.

Just kidding.

What actually happened is Dow Jones offered a department list relatively unchanged from its Dec. 7 proposal. Management apparently overlooked IAPE’s Dec. 14 proposal in which IAPE accepted all the company’s department merger responses except those for Investigative, Life & Work (in Washington), Washington Bureau and BG Barron’s groups.

Dow Jones filled in some missing gaps by agreeing to union merger proposals in WSJ Web and WSJ Web Mobile departments, but continued to list 52 departments as “under discussion - awaiting union response.”

The responses we provided three weeks ago.

Look, we get it. The holidays are busy times. People are on vacation. There are other work responsibilities. The same is true for IAPE’s mostly-volunteer Bargaining Committee. And it takes a lot of work to dig through a list of Dow Jones departments and determine whether common work groups should be merged. We should know, it was our proposal. However, to all but ignore the union’s department responses—not to mention failing to provide any meaningful counters on other job security proposals or artificial intelligence—is disappointing.

We told the company on Thursday, we recognize we have reached many tentative agreements in this process so far. Still, a significant amount of work remains to reach a deal on big-ticket items like wages and health care premiums. If we can’t be certain the company is going to seriously consider union proposals on subjects where we are close to an agreement, what should we expect for topics where great distances between IAPE and Dow Jones remain?

We’ll find out soon enough. Bargaining resumes Thursday, Jan. 11. All members are welcome to join open bargaining as observers. See your email for registration links..

Company Announces Parental Leave Changes
Dow Jones representatives opened bargaining on Thursday with an apology of sorts, explaining that a Jan. 3 notice in The Lede announcing changes to the company’s Parental Leave Policy was delivered without the knowledge of the company’s Legal department.

“We would have given you a heads up,” management said.

ICYMI, the item read, “We’re excited to announce a significant enhancement to our Paid Parental Leave policy, effective Jan. 1, 2024. Starting in the new year, Dow Jones is eliminating the distinction between primary and secondary caregivers. This change ensures that all benefit-eligible Dow Jones employees, regardless of caregiver status, will now be entitled to 20 weeks of paid parental leave."

This, of course, is a change IAPE proposed at the outset of this round of contract negotiations—one the company appeared to accept, but with a requirement for the union to waive bargaining rights over future changes to this and other benefits, including health care, other leaves of absence and severance pay.

The union welcomes the company’s decision to finally eliminate the distinction between primary and secondary caregivers, and will continue to insist on the ability to negotiate improvements to Dow Jones benefits and policies affecting union-represented employees.

Join the IAPE CAT!
IAPE will be ramping up collective actions in 2024 similar to the Almar Candy Gram campaign at the end of 2023. If you'd like to assist in planning and coordinating those efforts, email us at union@iape1096.org to join the Contract Action Team (CAT). Questions about negotiations are welcome at the same address.

The New York Times Guild built a similar CAT to help facilitate actions during their lengthy negotiations for a new contract. The CAT was a driving force in getting members motivated and involved in bargaining and was ultimately influential in members’ walkout and eventual deal. 

The next IAPE CAT meeting, via Zoom, is Tuesday, Jan. 9 at 1:00 p.m. EST.