{"id":66377,"date":"2026-09-24T13:59:17","date_gmt":"2026-09-24T17:59:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ufcw.org\/?post_type=victories&p=66377"},"modified":"2026-09-24T13:59:18","modified_gmt":"2026-09-24T17:59:18","slug":"illinois-bookstore-workers-vote-to-unionize","status":"publish","type":"victories","link":"https:\/\/www.ufcw.org\/actions\/victories\/illinois-bookstore-workers-vote-to-unionize\/","title":{"rendered":"Illinois Bookstore Workers Vote to Unionize"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Unionizing is lit:<\/em><\/strong> Pictured from left: McKenzie, bookseller; Kaidyn, kitchen; Rina, baristakeep; M, baristakeep; Lex, bar manager; Lily, dish; Blas, bookseller; Maia, kitchen; Renee, baristakeep; and Cale, bookseller.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Booksellers and caf\u00e9 workers at The Literary in Champaign, Ill., joined the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU<\/a>) last month. The 21 full-time and regular part-time employees have a long list of issues they are eager to address in their upcoming contract negotiations.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Those concerns include stagnant wages, skeleton staffing, unpredictable shift scheduling, and a lack of support from upper management. With union representation secured, the workers now have a seat at the table to win a contract that aligns with the store\u2019s community-focused, progressive mission.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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\u201cThe future of The Literary is bright. A union means security; it means investment in such a cornerstone of the Champaign-Urbana community,\u201d said bookseller Cale Hartman. \u201cI believe with collective power, The Literary will stay true to what it means to be a third space, and the workers will be treated with the same respect and care we bring to our community every day.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Caf\u00e9 manager Jordan Kelsey agreed, adding that the move is good for business. \u201cI think unionizing The Lit will make for a happier and healthier workplace and ultimately help the business flourish,\u201d she said. \u201cConsistent, equitable working conditions will boost our job satisfaction, work performance, and staff retention. My hope is that The Lit will be able to provide sustainable jobs for its current and future employees for years to come.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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The push to organize booksellers is intensifying, according to RWDSU President and UFCW Executive Vice President Stuart Appelbaum. \u201cWhat happened in Champaign-Urbana is part of a much broader movement,\u201d he said. \u201cRetail, food service, and bookstore workers nationwide are declaring one shop at a time, and in one voice, that they deserve dignity, fair pay, and a real say in their daily working conditions. We are thrilled to welcome the staff of The Literary into the RWDSU, and we will stand shoulder to shoulder with them as they fight for the strong contract they need.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Coincidently, The Literary was sold just days after the organizing campaign succeeded. In a statement<\/a>, the new owners pointed to the unionizing effort as a positive reflection of employees\u2019 commitment to the business and said they prioritize workplace safety and equitable wages across all the retail businesses they own in central Illinois.<\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Unionizing is lit: Pictured from left: McKenzie, bookseller; Kaidyn, kitchen; Rina, baristakeep; M, baristakeep; Lex, bar manager; Lily, dish; Blas, bookseller; Maia, kitchen; Renee, baristakeep; and Cale, bookseller. Booksellers and caf\u00e9 workers at The Literary in Champaign, Ill., joined the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) last month. The 21 full-time and regular part-time […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":436,"featured_media":66378,"menu_order":0,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[638],"tags":[295],"class_list":["post-66377","victories","type-victories","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-booksellers","tag-rwdsu"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nIllinois Bookstore Workers Vote to Unionize - The United Food & Commercial Workers International Union<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Illinois Bookstore Workers Vote to Unionize\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.ufcw.org\/actions\/victories\/illinois-bookstore-workers-vote-to-unionize\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Illinois Bookstore Workers Vote to Unionize - 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