Tucson, AZ – On Thursday, workers at Bookmans Entertainment Exchange’s East location on Speedway and Country Club filed a petition for representation with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), taking the first step towards forming a union. Seeking to be represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) Local 99, the Tucson-area bookstore workers would become the first in their industry to unionize, pending a successful NLRB election. The board is expected to issue an election date in the coming weeks.
According to the company’s website, Bookmans is a Tucson-headquartered retail chain that buys and sells used goods including books, music, movies, and games. The chain has five locations, covering Tucson, Phoenix, Mesa, and Flagstaff.
“Bookmans’ employees are the backbone of their company.” said Jim McLaughlin, President of UFCW Local 99. “Their relationships with both customers and community members is invaluable, and without their extensive knowledge in literature, music, gaming, and pop culture, the company couldn’t operate. It’s time for the people who keep Bookmans running to have a seat at the table and the ability to negotiate for a better work life.”
“We love Bookmans and we love this city. We want to maintain and grow our relationship with our community, but it’s hard to do that when people aren’t able to work here long term,” said Eleanor Hill, a Department Supervisor at Bookmans East. “Ever since our entire marketing department was laid off without notice, many of us have worried everyday that we’re going to be fired. Nobody should have to live like that. We deserve job security and a chance to cultivate our community without being curtailed by someone else’s bottom line.”
“I started at Bookmans in 2009. Back then, the company offered fair and consistent raises, banked holidays, generous sick time, cash bonuses and starting pay was a dollar above minimum wage. You used to be able to support a family with this job. Now, those benefits are long gone and I still only make a dollar above minimum wage,” said Becca Light, a Children’s Books Specialist at Bookmans East. “I love what I do and I genuinely love our customers. We all want to continue to serve our community and help Bookmans thrive the best way we can, which is by forming a union and having a voice at the table to advocate for all of us.”
Despite being the first in Arizona to petition for unionization, Bookmans employees are part of a growing national movement of bookstore workers who have organized with UFCW since 2021. This includes workers employed by nationwide chains like Barnes & Noble and Half Price Books as well as local shops like Politics & Prose in Washington, DC, Book Culture & Greenlight in New York City, and Savoy Bookshop & Cafe in Westerly, Rhode Island.
UFCW 99 is Arizona’s largest private-sector union, representing 25,000 essential workers at Fry’s, Safeway, and many other employers throughout the southwest. There are over 1.3 million UFCW members nationwide.
