Updates

Contact : Doris Moskowitz

Phone: (510)849-2087

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 26, 2021

Woman, Minority and Family-Owned, Used Bookstore Prioritizes Workers with First Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Moe’s Books Owners Call on all Booksellers and Big Retailers to Support their Workers by Voluntarily Recognizing their Efforts to Unionize.

Berkeley, CA - Moe’s Books is proud to announce the ratification of their first labor contract covering Moe’s Books Non-Management and Non-Supervisory Employees on November 21, 2021.

The process started in early March of 2021 when Moe’s Books management voluntarily recognized the IWW, Industrial Workers of the World, IU 660, as the employees’ representative for collective bargaining. Moe’s ownership and management respect the rights of the employees to make this choice, value the employees’ contribution to Moe’s Books success, and are aligned with the principles espoused by organized labor. The contract was ratified within days of the 16th and final bargaining session on 11/18.

Through 16 sessions of good-faith negotiating, and mutual love of Moe’s Books, both parties came to 35 agreements such as a first-year wage increases averaging over 10%, and increases in second and third year wages in a three-year agreement at 3% each year. Vacation, Benefits, Worker Safety, and Grievance Procedures were some of the many other agreements. Specific details available at https://www.moesbooks.com/events.php

“Supporting our workers is part of Moe’s Books 60-year legacy, and we are proud to continue in that tradition,” says Doris Moskowitz, owner of Moe’s Books. “In this day and age, we hope this sets a precedent for all booksellers, including large, online retailers, to support and value their workers. If a small, independent used bookseller can accomplish this while keeping the doors open during a global pandemic, there is no reason for more lucrative companies to claim labor organizing will shut down their business or harm their employees.”

Assistant Director, Anthony Rizzuto says he is looking forward to starting with the new procedures. “Even though there may be a period of continued learning and adjustment, I believe the new structure will serve employees and management alike and will only make us all prouder of being a part of Moe’s Books. We hope consumers will also see the value in supporting stores like ours where their purchases directly improve the lives of the hard-working people in this community.“