Over 100 workers at the Barnes & Noble flagship Union Square store in New York City voted to join the RWDSU/UFCW by an overwhelming margin on June 7.
Workers at the store joined the RWDSU/UFCW because they faced continued safety issues amid the rebound of the pandemic, including workplace harassment, as well as substandard pay for the industry, unstable scheduling practices, a lack of structure when it comes to job duties and tasks at work, and favoritism by management. They’re planning to address these issues during their first contract negotiations.
The vote to unionize workers at the Barnes & Noble flagship Union Square store was conducted by an in-person secret ballot vote on-site at the store on June 7, overseen by the National Labor Relations Board. The RWDSU will represent over 100 workers at the store in contract negotiations, which will commence this year. The workers in the proposed bargaining units include booksellers, baristas, cashiers, and all non-supervisory employees at the store.
“I am so proud of my coworkers and excited to move forward as a unionized bookstore and a member of RWDSU,” said Jessica Sepple (she/her), who is a senior bookseller at the Barnes & Noble flagship Union Square store. “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 create a better workplace and a better future for Barnes & Noble employees.”