Workers at The Center for Fiction Win Voluntary Union Recognition with RWDSU
Workers at The Center for Fiction in Brooklyn, New York, have won a significant victory in their fight for a fairer workplace – official union recognition with RWDSU. This victory comes after months of organizing among staff across departments and reflects a growing wave of unionization in the bookselling and nonprofit sectors.
On May 15, 2025, a delegation representing a clear supermajority of the Center’s workers delivered a request for voluntary recognition to management. The Center responded just under two weeks later by formally recognizing the union on May 28. On June 2, authorization cards were reviewed, solidifying RWDSU as the official bargaining representative under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA).
The newly unionized workers – comprising booksellers, baristas, assistant café managers, facilities assistants, library assistants, administrative and program staff, inventory managers, and others—are seeking a more democratic and transparent workplace. Their demands include having a seat at the table in decisions about scheduling, job roles, and organizational policy. Many also cited a lack of clarity around responsibilities, inconsistent communication, and the desire for more equitable workplace policies as major motivations for organizing.
“As writers, artists, community members and workers we are proud that The Center for Fiction has voluntarily recognized our union,” said Henri Seguin, a bookseller at The Center. “We know the positive impact that collective action contributes towards fair wages, transparent contracts, and collaborative communication and we are eager to see it reflected at the negotiation table. We look forward to making The Center a fair, welcoming, and empowering space for all.”
“We are thrilled that our union has been voluntarily recognized. We have the utmost respect for everyone who works at The Center, and we are so excited to see the ways in which our collective action can make The Center an even more powerful institution. We can't wait to begin bargaining,” added Abbie Greenbaum, a barista and bartender at The Center.
“In voluntarily recognizing our union today, The Center has taken an important first step in affirming the value of its workers and the contributions they make every day to The Center and its community. We are excited to begin our negotiations on a foundation of respect and receptivity as we work together with our coworkers, Executive Director, managers, and The Board to help the Center for Fiction meet its potential as a healthier and more equitable institution,” said Eliana Cohen-Orth, an Events Production Coordinator at The Center for Fiction.
This union recognition is especially significant given it also comes on the heels of another RWDSU milestone: the first-ever union contracts ratified at Barnes & Noble stores, raising the bar for wages, safety, and health benefits for booksellers and café workers.
“It’s not fiction—workers at The Center for Fiction now have a union,” said RWDSU President Stuart Appelbaum. “With a union contract in place, workers will gain the clarity and stability they deserve—knowing their schedules, understanding their job roles, and having a real voice in workplace policies and decisions. Bookstore and nonprofit workers play an essential role in our communities, and they deserve to be heard.”
This is not the first time a bookstore or non-profit has voluntarily recognized the RWDSU; both Greenlight Bookstores and Yours Truly, Brooklyn stationery store and GrowNYC have done so in recent years.
The campaign at The Center for Fiction adds to the momentum of bookstore workers organizing for better conditions. Over the past year, organizing in the bookstore industry has spread like wildfire and there are now seven unionized Barnes & Noble Inc. locations across the country, and those numbers are growing. The RWDSU also represents workers in independent bookstores and stationery stores including workers at McNally Jackson and Goods for the Study, Greenlight Bookstore and Yours Truly, Brooklyn, and Book Culture, all members of RWDSU Local 1102.
The next step for workers at The Center for Fiction will be negotiating their first collective bargaining agreement, where workers hope to address the issues that brought them together and secure real, lasting improvements for their workplace.
As the movement grows, one thing is clear: when workers organize, they win.