Today, United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local Union 328, which represents 11,000 workers in a variety of industries in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, announced that the hardworking booksellers and baristas employed at Savoy Bookshop & Café in Westerly, Rhode Island, won voluntary union recognition.

On Monday, November 22^nd, workers delivered a signed letter notifying the company of their decision to unionize. Shortly after receiving the letter, the company announced their decision to accept the workers’ request for voluntary recognition. Savoy Bookshop & Café is one of three bookstore locations the company operates, with the other two stores located in Mystic and New London, Connecticut.

The letter, written and delivered by the workers at the Westerly location, stated, 

“We, the booksellers and baristas of Savoy Bookshop & Café, are happy to announce our decision to form a union. We are filing an election petition with the National Labor Relations Board and requesting the company’s voluntary recognition of our union and its affiliation with UFCW Local 328. 

“Our decision to organize is the result of months of conversations between staff, other booksellers, and our families. It is rooted in love of our work, our community, and our personal and professional investment in the company’s success. It is a reflection of our passion for our workplace and a confirmation of the workers’ integral functions within it. 

“Our goal, in good faith, is a secure future for ourselves and the company. We are looking forward to an equitable seat at the table to determine Savoy’s role in the community and the broader independent bookstore landscape.”

“We are so pleased that the company is upholding its values by recognizing our union. It is an important first step towards a more transparent, collaborative workplace,” shared Danielle, a full-time bookseller and inventory lead. “In this spirit, we are looking forward to beginning negotiations early next year.”

“We are so proud of the workers at Savoy and welcome them to our union family,” added Sam Marvin, Director of Organizing at UFCW Local 328, added. “From the very beginning of their organizing efforts, they have voiced their love for their jobs and community. By taking this step, they have secured a true partnership that reflects the values they bring to the workplace each day. We welcome and applaud the company’s decision to recognize the workers’ request.”

Savoy workers join a growing movement of booksellers and baristas across the country coming together to secure a collective voice in their workplaces.

UFCW Local 328 represents over 11,000 workers in a range of industries across Rhode Island and Southeastern Massachusetts.