Employees at Flagstaff’s Bookmans Entertainment Exchange joined staff at two Tucson stores in a one-day strike on Saturday.
Since three stores in the Arizona chain unionized last year, contract negotiations between the union and management have dragged on.
Union members say management has not taken contract negotiations seriously and they have yet to broach subjects such as wages and benefits.
Matthew Christiansen has worked at Bookmans for nearly 30 years, but was one of about 50 standing on the picket line.
“Being here this long, I truly remember when it was better for us. You know, when they did put us first, when they cared about us," Christiansen says.
After such a long career at Bookmans, Christiansen says he feels he’s advocating for the next generation of employees.
In a statement, Bookmans management says the strike was completely unexpected and that they have made concessions in good faith during the ongoing negotiations.
“This action was completely unexpected as negotiations are ongoing, and substantial progress has been made. And in the vast majority of areas where the parties have not yet reached agreement, we have made concessions in a good faith effort to do so,” a statement from Bookmans read. “We look forward to continuing to work with the Union, negotiating in good faith, and reaching a fair and sustainable agreement that will be in the best interests of our dedicated staff, loyal customers and Bookmans as a whole.”
A spokesperson for United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 99, which represents Bookmans employees at the three stores, had a different take.
“Unfortunately, companies have a lot of ability and flexibility with our federal labor laws to, uh, really drag out the process, and we know as workers that collective action is the ultimate tool to deliver justice,” a spokesperson told KNAU. “We know that if we come out here, we stand with our community members, we stand with our fellow workers, that we can secure a fair agreement.”
Tony Taurman has worked at Bookmans for close to three years and has been involved in the contract negotiations.
“It saddens my heart that we’ve got to be out here today. I’d rather be in there helping my community, like I would rather be doing my job than doing this right now,” Taurman says. “We're not trying to bleed them dry. We're just asking for fair.”
Taurman described the one-day strike as a “shot across the bow” of management, showing they need to take the negotiations seriously.
Workers at Bookmans Tucson East voted to unionize last summer, shortly followed by workers in Flagstaff.
Employees at Bookmans River in Tucson unionized last fall.
