Employees of University of Chicago Press have formed a union with the Chicago News Guild, TNG-CWA Local 34071. The UPC Workers Guild is seeking recognition from management and “is advocating for nothing less than excellence in the treatment of the press’s workers.” Its mission includes “pay equity, sustainability, and transparency.” “I dreamed for years of getting a job in academic publishing, and I’m thrilled to be working not only in my chosen industry but at one of the most prestigious presses in the country,” said UCP guild member Griffin Reed in a release. “However, that excitement is too often exploited […]
Unions
ALA Employees Vote on Unionization
Starting April 24, workers at the American Library Association have been voting on unionization after the organization declined to voluntarily recognize their union, American Libraries magazine (which is published by the ALA) reports. Of 161 staff members, 101 are eligible to join ALA Workers United, which would be part of American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 31 in Illinois. The ALA has gone through a series of cuts to staff over the past year, including layoffs and voluntary buyouts, and put a cap on raises for 2026 as the association aims to address a financial deficit, […]
Hachette Book Group Employees Unionize
Employees of Hachette Book Group announced they have unionized with Washington-Baltimore NewsGuild-CWA Local 32035, of the AFL-CIO. They have signed up a supermajority of 600 workers, making it the largest union in trade publishing history. The union says it is seeking better benefits, protections, and rights for workers, as well as increased equity, transparency, and agency in the workplace. They write in a release, “The HWC demands a livable wage regardless of work location, better working conditions, a cap on workload hours, a clear and neutral grievance process, AI protections, follow-through on DEI policies, and more.” A coalition of workers […]
Catapult Workers Form Union
Workers at Catapult, Counterpoint, Soft Skull, and Hawthorne Books have formed a union with UAW Local 2110, the same union that represents employees at Harper Collins and Abrams. The Catapult Workers Collective includes approximately 20 staffers in editorial, design, marketing, publicity, production, rights, and operations and has petitioned the National Labor Relations Board for a vote. The employees wish to guarantee job security, wages, and greater transparency from management, according to a release. “The goal of our union is to protect the wages and benefits of our workplace, to affirm the dignity and value of our labor, and to advance […]
Harper Collins Union Ratifies New Contract; Secures Highest Starting Pay in Publishing
The Harper Collins Union, part of UAW Local 2110, has ratified a new contract, which mandates a starting salary of $52,500, for a 35-hour week—the highest in the industry. All covered employees will get annual pay increases, and time and a half for overtime. Notably employees “at the beginning of their careers” can work up to three hours of overtime per week without prior approval. With that overtime included, that effectively “brings the lowest annual compensation” for junior employees to $57,000 for a 38-hour week, the union notes. Starting pay will increase every year up to $55,200 in 2028. Employees […]
Used Bookstore Owner Sells Property After Unionization
McKay’s, a group of five used bookstores in Tennessee and North Carolina, will close its Knoxville location in May after 40 years in business, Knox News reports. The Knoxville store is the only one with a union, part of Communications Workers of America, and has been negotiating its contract with management since forming in November 2022. McKay’s sold the Knoxville property to a hotel developer for $4.25 million. CWA has asked the National Labor Relations Board to file an injunction against the sale, asserting that the closure is retaliation against the union. Owner Sam Jacobson rejects that idea, claiming that […]