The unionized staff of the Barnes & Noble location in Hadley, Massachusetts, staged a walkout on August 25 to draw attention to concerns over inadequate staffing. The B&N employees, represented by UFCW Local 1459, have filed an Unfair Labor Practice complaint to address the staffing issues.
According to local news station WWLP, the walkout, which lasted from 2pm to 5pm, was attended not just by B&N staff but also members of the Western Mass Area Labor Federation, which includes unions such as the Massachusetts Society of Professors, the Massachusetts Teachers Association, and United Auto Workers Local 2322, as well as members of Trader Joe's United and the River Valley Democratic Socialists of America.
In an interview with Mass Live, UFCW Local 1459 organizing director Drew Weisse said that approximately one dozen B&N employees participated in the walk out, adding that the store had 18 unionized staff at one time but is now down to 11 or 12. "This is an ongoing issue for staff," Weisse told Mass Live. "The company sends management personnel from other stores rather than hiring replacement staff when someone quits."
The 15-person staff of the Hadley B&N voted unanimously to unionize on May 25, with the staffs of the B&N flagship store in Manhattan's Union Square and primary Brooklyn location having unionized as well.
