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Dow Jones Reporters Boycott TV Appearances
Wall Street Journal, Barron's and other Dow Jones reporters represented by the Independent Association of Publishers' Employees, TNG-CWA Local 51096, launched a boycott this week of voluntary appearances on CNBC.
The financial news network pays Dow Jones millions of dollars for exclusive access to its reporters, who generally aren't paid anything extra for the appearances. Union members say they are responding to the company's refusal to bargain in good faith.
Management wants to impose sweeping cutbacks in employee health care benefits and is proposing wages that would lag well behind inflation. At the same time, the company continues to reward many executives with large cash bonuses and other perks.
"During the contract talks, Dow Jones management, including CEO Peter Kann and COO Rich Zannino, have misled their employees and used distorted or outright incorrect information," IAPE President Ron Chen said. "This is the kind of behavior that, were they executives at any other company, would land them in the pages of the Wall Street Journal, and not in a positive light."
Last week, more than 1,200 Dow Jones employees signed a petition urging management to reconsider its proposals. IAPE has also challenged Kann and Zannino to hold town-hall style meetings with company employees, union and non-union, to explain why these cuts are needed.
Earlier this month, IAPE filed unfair labor practice charges against Dow Jones with the National Labor Relations Board over the company's failure to bargain in good faith.
"Management's lack of respect for its employees is reflected in its lack of respect for the bargaining process," Chen said. "Against that backdrop, newsroom personnel have decided to launch a boycott of voluntary CNBC appearances, not to punish CNBC, but in order to send a clear signal to Dow Jones management that IAPE is committed to maintaining quality benefits and compensation."
The financial news network pays Dow Jones millions of dollars for exclusive access to its reporters, who generally aren't paid anything extra for the appearances. Union members say they are responding to the company's refusal to bargain in good faith.
Management wants to impose sweeping cutbacks in employee health care benefits and is proposing wages that would lag well behind inflation. At the same time, the company continues to reward many executives with large cash bonuses and other perks.
"During the contract talks, Dow Jones management, including CEO Peter Kann and COO Rich Zannino, have misled their employees and used distorted or outright incorrect information," IAPE President Ron Chen said. "This is the kind of behavior that, were they executives at any other company, would land them in the pages of the Wall Street Journal, and not in a positive light."
Last week, more than 1,200 Dow Jones employees signed a petition urging management to reconsider its proposals. IAPE has also challenged Kann and Zannino to hold town-hall style meetings with company employees, union and non-union, to explain why these cuts are needed.
Earlier this month, IAPE filed unfair labor practice charges against Dow Jones with the National Labor Relations Board over the company's failure to bargain in good faith.
"Management's lack of respect for its employees is reflected in its lack of respect for the bargaining process," Chen said. "Against that backdrop, newsroom personnel have decided to launch a boycott of voluntary CNBC appearances, not to punish CNBC, but in order to send a clear signal to Dow Jones management that IAPE is committed to maintaining quality benefits and compensation."