(NEW YORK CITY) - Workers employed at the Strand Bookstore in New York City are threatening to Strike just before the shop's holiday season spike after Members of United Auto Workers (UAW) Local 2179 held a Strike Authorization Vote with 92% voting to approve a walk-out.  A Strike would be first at the legendary Bookstore since the 1990s.

"We're sending a message to the company that we're willing to do whatever it takes," Andrew Stando, a Visual Merchandiser at the Strand and Member of the Union’s Bargaining Committee, said of the Strike Vote. "Pay is a real problem for our Members.  We have a lot of people living paycheck to paycheck and barely making rent and we’re willing to do whatever it takes to get a Living Wage."

The Union represents around 80 Workers at the Strand’s main location near Union Square, its Upper West Side location and Employees at its warehouse in Brooklyn.

The Workers' last contract expired at the end of August, but the Union agreed to several extensions through Thanksgiving because bargaining did not begin until Summer.

Negotiations have progressed steadily, Stando said, but there’s “a feeling among the Membership the company is kind of delaying, is dragging this out and they're not substantially engaging with our demands.” 

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