(NEW YORK CITY) – Barnes & Noble Workers employed at the company’s flagship Union Square in New York City store have filed for their Union Election with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) in Region 2, seeking representation with the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU).

This action comes on the heels of Workers at the Barnes & Noble Education Store on the Rutgers University campus filing for their Union Election, as well as Workers at Barnes & Noble in Hadley, Massachusetts earlier this month.

The election for Workers at the Barnes & Noble Education Store on the Rutgers University campus has now been set for Friday, May 12th (2023).

These filings come amid a streak of wins by the RWDSU at Independent Booksellers in the New York area, including McNally Jackson, Goods for the Study, Greenlight Bookstore and Book Culture. 

The Union Square Store election petition came just hours after Barnes & Noble management refused to immediately voluntarily recognize the Union.

A delegation of Workers at the store shared with management that a majority of Workers had signed RWDSU Authorization Cards.

With a majority of Workers in favor of forming a union, Workers asked Barnes & Noble to voluntarily recognize the Union so contract negotiations could commence swiftly around a host of issues Workers are contending with at the bookseller.

Workers at the store face continued safety issues amid the rebound of New York City post-pandemic, including workplace harassment, sub-standard pay for the industry below that of Independent Booksellers, unstable scheduling practices, a lack of structure when it comes to job duties and tasks at work, and favoritism by management.

“I’m organizing for pay raises in a City where the cost of living is rapidly increasing, but our wages are not.  In addition, Workers’ safety is consistently brushed aside in exchange for high profits while we suffer the consequences,” said Kaitlyn Keel - a Bookseller employed at the Union Square Flagship Barnes & Noble. 

When successful, the RWDSU will represent more than 100 current NLRA eligible Workers at the flagship store in New York and an additional nearly 70 at Barnes & Noble Education at Rutgers.

The Workers in the proposed Bargaining Units include Booksellers, Baristas, Cashiers and all Non-Supervisory Employees at each of the stores.

To Read This Labor News Report In Its Entirety, Go To: BARNES & NOBLE WORKERS AT THE FLAGSHIP UNION SQUARE, NEW YORK STORE FILE FOR THEIR UNION ELECTION WITH RWDSU - Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union