Posts Categorized: Bookstore

Half Price Books workers in Minnesota, who are members of UFCW Locals 663 and 1189, ratified their first union contracts on May 31.

These workers, who are employed at four Half Price Books stores in Coon Rapids (Northtown), Roseville, St. Louis Park, and St. Paul, were the first in the nation to form a union by joining UFCW Locals 663 and 1189 in 2022. They joined our union family to secure better wages, working conditions, and a seat at the table, and their collective advocacy sparked nationwide unionization efforts in Indiana, where workers ratified their first union contract in May; Illinois; Kentucky; Kansas; and Ohio.

Because of the unionization efforts of these workers, Half Price Books employees company-wide were able to realize 33 percent wage increases, with starting wages rising from $12 to $16. The two-and-a-half-year and three-and-a-half-year contracts include job protections, such as just cause, grievance procedures, and union representation.

“Through the hard work of the entire bargaining committee, we have shown all of our co-workers the priceless value of having a union contract,” said Aaron Kerr, who is a bookseller at the Roseville Half Price Books store. “This is going to help everyone at Half Price Books and it will continue for decades to come.”

“This victory comes from the work of everyone at all of our stores,” said Wyatt Feten, who is a bookseller at the Northtown Half Price Books store in Coon Rapids. “We are looking forward to this new era at Half Price Books with an official union contract and representation.”

“Workers at Half Price Books have blazed a path that inspires others to follow,” said UFCW Local 663 Secretary-Treasurer Michael LaCoste. “The UFCW welcomes any workers that want to build a better life together.”

“Without the commitment and incredible solidarity of these workers, this fight would have been almost impossible,” said UFCW Local 1189 President Jim Gleb. “They have shown workers all around the country what can be achieved by standing up for your rights, and I am proud to have them as members of the UFCW. The labor community is lucky to count them among us.”

On March 19, workers at Shelf Life Books in Richmond, Va., announced they have officially unionized with UFCW Local 400, making them the first booksellers in Richmond to form a union.

After every eligible worker at the store signed union authorization cards in support of the effort,  the owners chose to voluntarily recognize the union. The union covers five employees at the store and negotiations with management on a first union contract are in progress.

The workers’ organizing committee released the following statement:

“We’re proud to be the first booksellers in Richmond to unionize. As we look forward to negotiating our first union contract, we won’t be starting from scratch thanks to the work of our union siblings at Politics and Prose and Solid State Books, who have negotiated groundbreaking contracts that inspired us to unionize in the first place.”