The Independent Association of Publishers’ Employers 1096, which represents business journalists at The Wall Street Journal, MarketWatch.com, and Barron’s, has asked parent company Dow Jones & Co. to start negotiations on a new contact.

The current contract expires June 30.

“Please advise when Dow Jones representatives will be available to have a preliminary discussion concerning the schedule and location of bargaining sessions,” wrote union president Jodi Green in a letter to Thomas Maher, senior vice president and deputy general counsel of Dow Jones & Co.

Last year, the union agreed to a one-year contract.

That agreement, covering the period from July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2023, provided a salary increase of 4 percent for all IAPE-represented employees retroactive to July 1, with a minimum raise of $40 per week, as well as a lump-sum payment equal to 1% of pay as of June 30, 2022, with a minimum of $1,000 USD. Wages also increased by 0.5 percent on Jan. 1, 2023.

The pay increases didn’t fully offset the effects of inflation for all employees covered by the IAPE contract. However, the compensation agreement provided a greater benefit for lower-wage earners.