According to a release from the Oxford University Press union, the publisher has eliminated two teams in the US, design and content transformation and standards. The layoffs affect 13 members of the union, which represents about 150 employees and ratified its first contract in August. The guild was notified of the layoffs on September 4, and were told by the company that the last working day for affected employees would be October 4. The union has filed a grievance, asserting that the layoffs violate the collective bargaining agreement, “which protects historic union work from being relocated out of the unit.” […]
Unions
OUP USA Union to Strike on June 18
Members of the Oxford University Press USA union will stage a one-day strike on Tuesday, June 18, and will protest outside the company’s US headquarters from 8 AM – 12 PM. The union has made several claims that the company has violated US labor law. In March, the National Labor Relations Board found merit in the claims that OUP has moved work outside the bargaining unit by hiring non-union employees to replace union members who left the company. According to a union press release, the NLRB has not yet filed the official complaint. The union also asserts that the company […]
Seminary Co-op and 57th Street Books Unionize
Seminary Co-op and 57th Street Books announced that they have unionized. Management has voluntarily recognized the union. They write in the announcement, “The SCBU [Seminary Co-op Booksellers Union] is a branch of the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW). We share this exciting news in the spirit of joint commitment to these bookstores and the communities they serve. We look forward to continuing the work that sustains these invaluable institutions as we move forward together. See you in the stacks.”
Barnes & Noble Employees Claim Daunt Has Campaigned Against Union Votes
As workers at a number of individual Barnes & Noble stores vote to unionize — and as the chain itself embarks on a significant expansion of locations this year — employees tell the Guardian that ceo James Daunt has “embarked upon a months-long campaign to dissuade employees from voting in favor” of unionizing. They also “accuse the chain’s management of dragging their heels during contract negotiations.” Jessica Sepple, a bookseller at the flagship New York City store in Union Square, says: “He would come in and essentially try to talk us out of unionizing. The big argument against us unionizing […]
NLRB Files Complaint Against OUP; Union Prepares to Strike
The National Labor Relations Board has filed a complaint against Oxford University Press in response to the OUP USA union’s charges — first brought in July 2023 — that the press “violated labor law by refusing to bargain over, and eventually moving, work represented by the union to locations overseas,” according to a union press release. The union also intends to file additional charges, including the claim that the press has based union members’ annual pay reviews on whether they accept the company’s most recent offer. Management and the company have been bargaining over a contract since 2022. “In light […]
UWS B&N Workers Vote Yes on Union
Yesterday, 85 percent of eligible employees at the Barnes & Noble on West 85th Street in Manhattan voted to join the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU). The union represents approximately 50 workers, and contract negotiations “will commence swiftly,” according to a release. In a release, senior barista Gina Fowler said, “Winning our union election means my and my co-worker’s needs can finally be heard! We’re asking for fair pay, clear opportunities to progress in long-term careers with Barnes & Noble, and overall job security. I look forward to having our voices heard at the bargaining table.” This marks […]