Blog

About 40 workers at Greenlight Bookstores and Yours Truly stationery stores in Brooklyn, N.Y., recently joined the RWDSU/UFCW for a better life. The workers in the bargaining unit handle sales, stocking, and information services in the stores.

The RWDSU/UFCW represents workers at book and stationery stores across New York City, including McNally Jackson, Goods for the Study, and Book Culture. Now, workers at Greenlight Bookstores and Yours Truly stationery stores will head to the bargaining table to secure fair treatment in the workplace and fair compensation in their first union contract.

“I’m excited to be an RWDSU member, especially during this wave of unionization efforts happening across the country!” said Ienna Fernandez, a Greenlight Bookstore worker. “I’m proud to work alongside people who are committed to supporting each other and our collective well-being. It’s time that Greenlight Bookstore and Yours Truly Brooklyn workers are empowered to define what a safe, just, and equitable workplace looks like—especially for the most marginalized among us. We’re ready and hopeful as we get to work on our first contract.”

“We’re proud to welcome the workers of Greenlight Bookstores and Yours Truly stationery stores into our union,” said RWDSU President Stuart Appelbaum. “Together, they won recognition from their employer, and showed that the best way for working people to protect themselves and their families is to join together in a union.”

Over 100 members of UFCW Local 880 who work at the Save A Lot Distribution Center in Austinburg, Ohio, ratified a first contract on Oct. 9 that raises wages and improves benefits.

These workers joined UFCW Local 880 in October of 2019 because they were concerned about insufficient benefits and wanted stability and a voice in the workplace. However, their unionization efforts were met with resistance from their employer, including a counter offer of better wages and benefits if the workers decertified from our union. However, the workers, who are employed as loaders, fork lift operators, clerks, inspectors, auditors, order selectors, and sanitation, maintenance, inventory control and quality insurance workers, stood their ground.

The 26-month contract includes the largest wage increases in 18 years. The contract also includes increased paid time off, and a seniority system based on length of service or time worked. In addition, the contract includes a call-in pay guarantee for workers called in to work at a time other than their regular shifts; a grievance and arbitration procedure; a union security agreement; and the formation of a committee to solve issues before they become problems at the distribution center.   

“This contract finally says enough is enough, “said Shawn Williams, who is an order selector at the distribution center. “In 16 years at the Save A Lot Distribution Center, I’ve only watched the benefits decline year after year. We were able to not only stop the bleeding, but secure more paid time off, the largest wage increase in 18 years, and the ability to hold the company accountable.” 

“We want to help bring Save A Lot success and the employees along with it,” Williams added. “We have a lot of great ideas to get going and we are looking forward to having a voice at work to further that goal. This contract proves that when we stand together, we don’t have to hope for better, we can demand better.”