HarperCollins Publisher, Striking Workers Agree To Federal Mediation

NEW YORK – HarperCollins Publishers and the union that represents about 250 striking workers have agreed to go to federal mediation. This is the first sign that a deal might be possible since the strike started in early November.

“We are excited to have this opportunity to continue bargaining with HarperCollins and hope they are finally ready to put a fair offer on the table,” said Olga Brudastova, president of UAW Local 2110. “At this point, we’ve been on strike for over two months. It is time for us to settle any outstanding issues and try to rebuild our relationship.”

HarperCollins, which is part of Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp, put out a statement saying that it hoped meeting with an outside mediator would lead to “a way forward.” The publisher hadn’t met with union representatives in months.

Publishers Want To Find A Middle Ground

A company statement says, “We went into negotiations hoping to find a middle ground, and we have stayed committed to getting a fair and reasonable contract throughout this process.” “We are hopeful that a mutually agreed upon mediator can help find the solutions that have eluded us so far. For the past 80 years, HarperCollins has had a union with a long history of successful and fair contract negotiations. The company now has the same goal and is working hard to achieve it.”

Federal mediation, as defined by the government, is a “voluntary process” in which a “neutral” third party attempts to assist labor and management in reaching an agreement.

The UAW and HarperCollins have disagreed on union protections, workplace diversity, and wages, with the UAW requesting that the publisher raise the starting salary from $45,000 to $50,000 — a range comparable to other large New York publishers’ pay.

Went On Stike For One Day

Since last spring, editorial assistants, marketers, and other mid- and entry-level employees who were part of the HarperCollins union had worked without a contract. They went on strike for one day over the summer and left the job indefinitely on November 10. More than 100 workers demonstrated in front of News Corp’s headquarters in midtown Manhattan last week.

The impasse has brought to light an ongoing debate about working conditions in book publishing, which has long offered low pay to younger employees, making it difficult for many to live in New York City. Many writers, including Neil Gaiman, Lauren Groff, and Angie Thomas, have expressed support for the HarperCollins employees, and more than 150 agents have said they will only send book proposals to the publisher once a settlement is reached.

HarperCollins is the only one of the so-called “Big Five” New York publishers to have a union, which went on strike for two and a half weeks in 1974.

SOURCE – (AP)