ILWU Local 5 announced on Wednesday that 92 percent of union members who work at Powell’s Books voted to authorize a strike against the bookstore. The union said: “This vote gives the ILWU Local 5 bargaining team the authority to call for a strike if it becomes necessary in the course of negotiations. It doesn’t mean Powell’s workers are going on strike right away, but it does mean they have the option and are getting strike-ready!” Union employees have been calling renewed attention to their open petition recently, garnering signatures in support of the message, “Tell Powell’s Books: Workers Deserve […]
Unions
Solid State Books Reaches Union Contract
Solid State Books in Washington D.C., which unionized in April with UFCW Local 400, has ratified their contract with the store after 17 days of negotiations. Solid State is the second bookstore in D.C. to unionize, after Politics & Prose. The three-year contract includes cost of living raises tied to the D.C. minimum wage, Juneteenth as a holiday (with overtime pay), provisions for additional vacation time, better hours, and more. The contract was modeled on the one ratified by Politics & Prose last September. Bookseller Kiara Martinez, who served on the negotiated committee said in a release, “We got here […]
HC Union Files Grievance Over Termination of Unit Chair
As PL previously reported, Harper Collins terminated Stephanie Guerdan, unit chair of the Harper Collins Union on July 20. On Monday, the union announced that they have “filed a grievance against the publisher in accordance with the collective bargaining agreement and submitted an Unfair Labor Practice charge to the National Labor Relations Board.” Olga Brudastova, president of Local 2110 UAW, says in the announcement, “The company is continuing to spend their resources on union-busting, going so far as to fire our Unit Chair. Stephanie has had an impeccable career at Harper Collins spanning over six years. They were outspoken about […]
ABA Suggests Bookstores Prepare for UPS Strike
As UPS and the Teamsters union stall over contract negotiations, it’s possible that workers will begin to strike on July 31, which would affect a vast number of book shipments to and from publishers. The American Booksellers Association suggested ways bookstores can prepare: This month, stores should order up on inventory, order stock for Fall author events, coordinate returns (even if they don’t use UPS), and ask publishers for an increase in their credit limits.
Third B&N Store Unionizes
Following the successful unionization of stores in Hadley, MA and Union Square, NYC, the Barnes & Noble in Park Slope Brooklyn voted 88 percent in favor of unionizing, after announcing their intent in May. Like the chain’s other locations, the store joins the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union. The union now will go into contract negotiation with management, planning to address “continued safety issues amid the rebound of New York City post-pandemic including workplace harassment, substandard pay for the industry below that of independent booksellers, unstable scheduling practices, a lack of structure when it comes to job duties and tasks […]
B&N Union Square Forms Chain’s Second Union
Booksellers and baristas at the Union Square, NYC Barnes & Noble voted to join the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, with 97 percent of the workers in favor. The union will represent more than 100 non-supervisory employees and contract negotiations will happen this year. “I am so proud of my coworkers and excited to move forward as a unionized bookstore and a member of RWDSU,” senior bookseller Jessica Sepple said. “We still have work ahead of ourselves, but today we have shown how dedicated we are to improving our store for ourselves and each other. We are ready to […]