McNally Jackson Booksellers, Baristas To Vote On Unionizing

NOLITA, NY — Workers at McNally Jackson will vote Thursday on unionizing, a rep for the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union confirmed.

Booksellers, baristas and other employees across McNally Jackson's New York City locations, which have a total of 86 employees, will vote on the unionization efforts, according to National Labor Relations Board records.

David Glickman, a bookseller at McNally, tweeted the news Monday, getting an outpouring of support within hours from other unions, writers and journalists. Glickman said on Twitter that workers will be wearing pins in support of the union efforts this week.

"I've had to keep this secret for a while, but me and my coworkers at McNally Jackson are unionizing!" Glickman wrote. "Solidarity forever!"

Glickman did not immediately respond for comment.

Chelsea Connor, communications director for the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union, confirmed to Patch the vote is scheduled Thursday.

Workers first filed a petition to unionize Nov. 19, according to the labor relations board.

Sarah McNally, the owner of the iconic Nolita mainstay, did not immediately respond for comment.

The independent bookstore has been expanding in recent months, after a near-scare the Prince Street digs would have to close. This fall, McNally opened a location at the Seaport and outposts in Williamsburg and the LaGuardia Airport opened in 2018. The company has a stationary shop in the West Village. A Downtown Brooklyn venture is reportedly in the works as well, according to a February report in Vulture.

If McNally Jackson workers formally vote to unionize Thursday, workers will join a slew of other independent bookstores that have also organized, such as New York City's iconic Strand Bookstore, Portland's Powell's Books and Austin's Book People, according to the Department for Professional Employees. Nearby McNally Jackson's headquarters, museum employees at the Tenement Museum and the New Museum voted to unionize this year.

Results from McNally's union vote will be announced later this week, according to RWDSU rep, Connor.