Burkle to work with WSJ union

This isn't going anywhere, but L.A.'s peripatetic billionaire has agreed to work with the Independent Association of Publishers' Employees, which represents 2,000 employees of New York-based Dow Jones, on alternatives to Rupert Murdoch's $5 billion offer for DJ. Steve Yount, president of the Dow Jones union, said Burkle's interest was preliminary (naturally) and that details had yet to be sorted out (didn't he read about the Broad-Burkle folly in going after Tribune?). This time, Burkle at least has Jeff Johnson, the former LAT publisher who was forced out last year after putting up a fuss about cost-cutting. Johnson is now planning media acquisitions for Burkle's Yucaipa investment firm. The union is also reaching out to Warren Buffett, who has already put a damper on any interest in DJ.