Posts Categorized: Allies and Affiliates

On March 14, about 50 workers at the Barnes & Noble 82nd Street store on the Upper West Side of Manhattan voted to join the RWDSU/UFCW by an overwhelming margin. Workers at the Barnes & Noble Upper West Side store now join two other unionized stores in New York City, including the flagship Union Square store and the Park Slope, Brooklyn store.

The workers in the bargaining unit include booksellers, baristas, cashiers, maintenance clerks and all non-supervisory employees at the store. The vote to unionize workers at the Barnes & Noble Upper West Side store was conducted by an in-person secret ballot on-site at the store and overseen by the National Labor Relations Board.

These workers joined our union family because of concerns over job security, a lack of structure when it comes to job duties and tasks at work, and favoritism by management, all of which they’re seeking to address in their first union contract.

“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,” said Gina Fowler (she/they), who is a senior barista at the Upper West Side Barnes & Noble store. “I look forward to having our voices heard at the bargaining table.”

“We’re all thrilled and excited at the election result,” said Esther Rosenfield (she/her), who is also a senior barista at the Upper West Side Barnes & Noble store. “The feeling of solidarity among employees at every position in the store is really incredible. We’re looking forward to beginning negotiations for fair pay and better working conditions.”

“With each new union election, workers continue to send a clear message to Barnes & Noble that they want a seat at the table – and they are winning that seat by historic margins,” said RWDSU President Stuart Appelbaum. “Bookstore workers across the industry, from independent sellers to corporate behemoths like Barnes & Noble, face safety concerns, lack of training, and favoritism by management. Only with a union will these issues and more be heard. Barnes & Noble workers are changing how their history will be told, and inspiring other workers to do the same!”

Members of RWDSU/UFCW Local 374 who work at the Post Cereal plant in Battle Creek, Mich., also known as “Cereal City,” recently ratified a new contract that strengthens wages and benefits.

The three-year contract includes an immediate $1.50 per hour raise for maintenance employees, who will receive an additional six percent increase over the life of the agreement. Employees in other departments will see an 8.75 percent increase.

The bargaining committee was able to achieve a three-year reduction in the time it takes new employees to achieve the full wage rate. At the time of ratification, all employees who were in their fifth, sixth and seventh year of employment immediately moved to full wage, resulting in a nearly $10 per hour wage increase. Starting wages were also increased by $2.37.

These big wage increases were accompanied by improvements to eligibility for additional vacation time; limits on mandatory overtime; a reduction in employee insurance premiums; the elimination of the company’s ability to increase insurance out of pocket premiums; and an increase in disability benefits, as well as the elimination of the previous five-year waiting period for eligibility for this benefit.