On Feb. 25, members of UFCW Local 400 who work at three Politics and Prose bookstores in Washington, D.C., ratified a new contract.
The three-year agreement covers approximately 70 booksellers and baristas and includes:
- Guaranteed wage increases each year of the agreement.
- Protections against “clopening shifts.”
- Retention language to promote from within before accepting external candidates.
- Bereavement pay.
- An additional holiday.
- Recall language in the event of layoffs.
- The ability to appoint more shop stewards.
- A “Dignity and Respect” clause.
“Congratulations to our members on a hard-won contract,” said UFCW Local 400 President Mark Federici. “None of these improvements would have been possible without everyone staying engaged and unified throughout this process. And a special thanks to our hard-working bargaining committee for their time and effort getting this across the finish line. It’s never easy to negotiate a contract and they stepped up in a big way on behalf of their co-workers. We’re proud to have you in our union family.”
Politics and Prose employees were the first bookstore in Washington, D.C. to unionize in January 2022 and the first to win a union contract later that year.
