FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: July 17, 2026
Contact: Chelsea Connor | cconnor@rwdsu.org | 347-866-6259
BARNES & NOBLE WORKERS AT THE MASSAPEQUA STORE VOTE OVERWHELMINGLY TO JOIN RWDSU LOCAL 1102
Massapequa Booksellers Join Growing Wave of Unionized Stores, Following Historic NYC First In the Nation Contracts, Joining String of Unionized Booksellers
(MASSAPEQUA, NY) – Today, Local 1102 of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) announced that, by an overwhelming vote of 85% in favor of the union, workers at the Barnes & Noble store in Massapequa, New York, have voted to join RWDSU Local 1102.
This victory marks the latest milestone in a historic bookstore organizing wave. It follows the landmark March 2025 ratification of first-in-the-nation union contracts at three New York City Barnes & Noble stores—including the Union Square Flagship, Park Slope, and the West 82nd Street stores—which established precedent-setting standards for wages, safety, and workplace dignity.
Workers at the Massapequa location organized over critical issues that have echoed across Barnes & Noble stores nationwide: job security, scheduling stability, a lack of clear communication on tasks, and unfairness by management. By securing representation, the Massapequa unit intends to win a collective bargaining agreement built upon the historic standards established by their unionized peers.
Barnes & Noble Massapequa workers gather ahead of their election filing with their union authorization cards at the RWDSU Local 1102 office.
“Winning our union election means we finally have a voice to demand the respect and stability we deserve,” said Sam Migliore, a Senior bookseller at the Massapequa Barnes & Noble store. “Seeing the incredible safety wins, wage increases, and health benefits our coworkers in the city won in their contract last year showed us exactly what is possible when we stand together. We are ready to bring that same energy to the bargaining table.”
“The solidarity in our store has been incredibly inspiring throughout this campaign,” said Alexandra Jorge, a lead Bookseller at the Massapequa location. “We are all thrilled by today's results and are ready to continue the fight. We look forward to negotiating a fair contract that guarantees livable wages, clear opportunities for career growth, and promotes communication that will benefit both workers and the store alike.”
“With every new store that votes 'Union Yes,' Barnes & Noble workers send an undeniable message to corporate management: they want a seat at the table, and they are winning that seat by historic margins,” said Jack Caffey, President of RWDSU Local 1102. “In 2025, our members at Barnes & Noble proved that when retail workers organize, they can secure industry-defining wages, union healthcare, and safety provisions that go well beyond the floor set by the Retail Worker Safety Act. Massapequa workers have officially claimed their place in this movement, and we are ready to help them secure the strong contract they deserve.”
The election at the Massapequa Barnes & Noble store was conducted via an in-person secret ballot vote on-site on July 17, 2026, and was overseen by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). RWDSU Local 1102 will represent Booksellers, Cashiers, and all non-supervisory employees at the store in upcoming contract negotiations.
ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND:
Workers voted overwhelmingly to be represented by the RWDSU in NLRB conducted elections at each store on the following dates:
West 82nd Street, New York Store: March 14, 2024
Bloomington, Illinois: November 20, 2023
Park Slope, Brooklyn Store: June 29, 2023
Union Square Flagship Store: June 7, 2023
Over the past few years, organizing has spread rapidly and there are now eight unionized Barnes & Noble Inc. locations across the country, and those numbers are growing. Workers at Barnes & Nobles stores nationwide face continued safety issues, including workplace harassment, in addition to substandard pay, unstable scheduling practices, a lack of structure when it comes to job duties and tasks at work, and favoritism by management – all issues addressed in the first union contracts and workers in Massapequa, Long Island, New York will be looking to address in their first contract as well.
RWDSU Local 1102 also represents workers across the bookstore industry including workers at McNally Jackson and Goods for the Study, Greenlight Bookstore and Yours Truly, Brooklyn, and Book Culture. In New York City specifically, with our fellow union members at the Strand who are members of UAW 2179, together we represent about 40% of locations of the major corporate and independent chain bookstores in the city.
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The Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) represents 100,000 members throughout the United States, including 45,000 in New York State. The RWDSU is affiliated with the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW). For more information, please visit our website at www.rwdsu.org, Facebook:/RWDSU.UFCW Twitter:@RWDSU.