That simple statement encapsulates so much of the sentiment that we’ve heard from many other book workers : “We love our jobs and want to keep loving our jobs, so let us make sure we’re protected and have a seat at the table.” To get a feel for what’s fueling the current wave of bookseller unions, I spoke to two longtime workers at Powell’s Books, which unionized with the International Longshore and Warehouse Union in.
“The biggest issues facing bookstore workers are the same issues facing most retail/warehouse/customer service/service industry workers: low wages, lack of benefits, and bosses constantly pushing for more work from fewer people,” Tove Holmberg, an 18-year veteran of Powell’s Books and an active union member, tells me via email.
Workers at Powell’s and other bookstores are pushing back, sometimes publicly, to ensure they’re being treated fairly. As the pandemic smashed into the retail sector and many bookstores closed or laid off scores of workers, bookstore union members went to work.
Powell’s workers weren’t the only ones who had to go to bat in 2020. At New York City’s sprawling book emporium The Strand, workers have been unionized with
Not just mom-and-pop. MikeBookseller
Not just bookstores and publishers: many libraries require or prefer masters, but pay is low.
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