Dow Jones Union Aligns With CWA p.10

By: STACY JONES

FLOUNDERING AS AN autonomous union, the Independent Association of Publishers Employees took action by joining the fold of the Communication Workers of America.
The Jan. 2 vote was 985 in favor of the affiliation and 311 opposed.
Founded in 1937, the IAPE represents 2,500 Dow Jones employees in the United States and Canada ? about 20% of all company employees. Union President Ron Chen doesn't mourn the loss of his organization's independent status.
"For 60 years, this union has been called independent, but that was another word for hostage," said Chen, IAPE president since 1987. "The atmosphere [the union] operated in was weaker than most unions."
Dow Jones management, however, would have preferred the status quo.
"The company opposes affiliation for a variety of reasons," said company spokesman Roger May, who declined to detail the various reasons. "It was something [IAPE] chose to do. The company felt there wasn't a need for affiliation."