I want a union because I love my job. My coworkers are kind, talented, wonderful people and I want to continue working with them. Right now, the company can fire people without any reason or notice. And they do. We bring all of our intelligence, skill, and experience to Hachette and we deserve fair compensation, stability, and loyalty in return. I want to keep making books with these people — I want a union.

Jennie Cross (she/her), Senior Production Associate, Manufacturing

Having a union will allow us to not just have better jobs but to make better books. I just want my peers and I to feel like we can actually afford to stay and grow in the publishing industry, and that means building a system to guarantee that wages will be fair, that people won’t just be kicked out again through a revolving door, and that we will have the resources and support to do our work with pride, but without burning out.

Andy Wang (they/them), Designer, Workman Kids

I sincerely believe that a union at HBG would benefit everyone in every position and every department. We deserve an actual say in the major decisions that affect us all and more protections for our jobs. With the rise in AI, we are starting to see that it is being more and more integrated to our work and we need protections in place so that there are not more indiscriminate layoffs. Unionizing at HBG would set the precedent for the rest of the Publishing Industry and this change is needed now more than ever.

Maria Diaz (she/her), Senior Contracts Associate, Contracts

I care about my colleagues and the future of publishing. We’re all passionate about what we do and proud of our work; unionizing protects that. We deserve and need fair wages, stability and transparency, and better benefits. I firmly believe in our right to stand together, and I know that in doing so, we will secure a brighter, safer future for all of us at Hachette—and for publishing as a whole.

Elina Savalia (they/them), Assistant Editor, Orbit

I support a union at Hachette because I believe we deserve to earn more than just a barely living wage and should be fairly compensated for the work that we are so passionate about. We pour our energy and much of our time into publishing great books and in the last year have taken Hachette from the 4th biggest trade publisher to the 3rd. We, the employees, deserve to financially reap the rewards of our hard work and live our lives without worrying about whether we can afford rent, groceries, childcare, and to buy the very books we publish.

Morgan Spehar (she/her), Assistant Editor, Grand Central Publishing

Publishing has changed a lot these past few years, but material changes like our compensation has remained incredibly stagnant. This industry is made up of wonderful and passionate people, and I’d love to see us build a better workplace and continue setting the precedent for others to follow.

Claudia Fernández (she/her), Marketing Assistant, Workman

I love the work I do and I’m proud of the books we make. Bringing books to readers is important now more than ever. With an economy on thin ice and a country in political crisis, a union would be an important bulwark against uncertainty. Employees deserve to have a say in their working conditions – I want to see our company and our industry thrive, and a union will empower us to do our best work.

Corey(he/him), Production Editor, Storey Publishing

I signed up to help build a union at HBG because I care about people. For too long our love for books has moved us to accept less than we deserve. As publishing houses get bigger and bigger, it’s time to make sure that workers are no longer overlooked for all the work they’ve done and continue to do.

Sara Sheiner (she/her), Contracts Manager, Central Services

When I joined Hachette as a sales rep, the position had a reputation as the type of job people retire in and I was surprised to hear about so many people across publishers expressing how much that had changed – work loads are higher than ever and teams have been downsized. Everyone is stretched thin. I’ve heard stories like this from my colleagues in every corner of publishing. Things are changing faster than ever so we’ve banded together to be part of the decision-making that goes into the roles we could spend our whole careers in if they’re made to be sustainable.

Gina Carra (she/her), Sales Representative, Sales

Things are not great right now: overworked friends, dead-end requests, and mysterious layoffs. Sure, conditions may have gotten better compared to 10 years ago, but better does not equal good. With a union, I have a voice and might actually be able to get that 5% raise I’ve been asking for. I may have given up on buying a home, but I haven’t given up on paying rent.

Song, Production Assistant, Production

I want a union so the current and future HBG workers can be fairly compensated for their work and no longer have their passions taken advantage of. We cannot trust HBG to willingly commit to long-term improvements, so coming together as a collective is the only way to achieve fair and just treatment. After years of silent layoffs and the loss of years of institutional knowledge for the sake of “restructuring”, HBG employees are overworked, underpaid, and disconnected from the company’s vision for the future. It’s time that we have a seat at the table.

Brenna Haney (she/her), Metadata Associate, Sales

I want a union at Hachette because I’m proud of the work my colleagues and I do, and I know better working conditions will allow us to make better books. We deserve a secure and stable work environment with livable wages, sustainable workloads, protections from AI integration into our work, and so much more.

Julia DeVarti (they/them), Associate Editor, Little, Brown

There are a lot of reasons I want a union at HBG- I want better job security for me and my coworkers, I want higher salary floors so we can live our diversity goals and support employees from underrepresented backgrounds. But above all, I want a union at HBG because all workers deserve to have a say in the conditions of our employment.

Clare DeZutti, Designer, Workman

I want a union at Hachette for AI protections. While the ubiquitousness of AI in the workplace may have been implemented under the guise of making work easier, it sets a very worrying precedent that could potentially mean company-wide losses of jobs. One of my first priorities with a union contract would be to ensure that this still unpredictable technology will never be used to replace me or any of my colleagues.

Adam Rozakis, Coordinator, Account Marketing and Sales Promotions, Sales

The publishing industry is long overdue for a facelift, let’s make our line of work better, for us and for the future. An industry where a bookstore gift card is no longer an acceptable bonus. And we have already seen change in the industry with the Harper union- increasing the base pay at HBG. Verso just won a $60k base pay- so change is possible, and as the largest publisher to unionize we can make some real, lasting changes in the industry.

Amy Quinn (she/her), Sr. Designer/Interior Design, Central Services

I want a union at Hachette because I am proud to work in publishing, but across the industry, our salaries, benefits, and turnover rates are treated as inside jokes. We are highly skilled, intelligent people, putting our all into books that shape our culture and world. We deserve wages that reflect that.

Maisa Nammari, Production Associate, Central Services

I don’t want to see another colleague let go or another specialized role eliminated in the name of cost-cutting. Workers in publishing are a talented and passionate bunch, and it’s a gift to love the work you do and the people you work with. A union is the most powerful tool we have to protect our jobs and build sustainable careers for all of us.

Eric Arroyo (he/him), Digital Production Coordinator, Central Services

I want a union at HBG because I want my voice—and the voices of my coworkers—to be heard. As things are now, our concerns over not making a living wage go unheard. Our complaints at being overworked and understaffed fall of deaf ears. We see colleagues let go without just cause and without recourse, and we have to hold our tongues. I want a union because together we are too loud to ignore.

Cassie DeNicola, Editorial Assistant, Grand Central Publishing

HBG’s workers have the expertise to make and sell amazing books. We’ll be a healthier, more successful business if we also have a seat at the table and real investment in the company’s future.

Jack Dunnington (he/him), Associate Art Director , Workman

Unionizing honors my ancestors who believed in the cause of American labor movements. My Irish forebear was an early organizer for the Knights of Labor, 1882–1888. Two generations following him were members of the Amalgamated Lithographers of America, working in an industry considered one of the “Arts” in those days. And my great-grandmother was an officer of the Women’s Trade Union League in New York City.

Ian O’Neill, Designer, Storey Publishing

This is my dream job. And, I want this to continue to be my dream job. To do that, Hachette needs to evolve. Our worth should not be paid in bookstore gift cards and pizza parties when most of us cannot even afford to live in a city you require us to be in. The passion-tax needs to cease to exist and we need to be paid a livable wage.

Taylor Navis (she/her), Senior Designer, PubOps

I have always wanted to work in publishing and feel very lucky to do so. I know many of my coworkers would say the same. Nevertheless, feeling lucky to have this job should not be the biggest reason people stay. Me and my coworkers work hard, often above and beyond what should reasonably be expected of us because we care about our work and the impact it has on our world. I want a union so that I can be fairly compensated, have a better work life balance, and to make sure that me and my coworkers are recognized for the work we do.

Tessa (she/her), Marketing Assistant, Little, Brown and Company

I think a Union would be beneficial because it would help protect many of the benefits we already have (summer fridays, closed between Christmas and New Years, etc.) and would allow for more transparency on company decisions made that impact employees (such as layoffs or company restructures).

My-Lea (she/her), Senior Production Associate, Production Manufacturing

I’ve seen the benefits of unionizing in a previous career, and I’ve seen the problems in publishing because we don’t have a union. I’d like to see the benefits brought to publishing that many others enjoy in other fields of employment.

Michelle, Manufacturing Coordinator, Nashville

I love my job and what I do. It is great to be part of a team creating award-winning and bestselling books. I am voting for the union because I want to be part of a workplace where all of us get to share in the financial success of our company. I am voting YES to secure a brighter future for all of us at HBG.

Shena Redmond (she/her), Executive Production Editor, Managing Editorial, Basic Books Group

I have always been passionate about books and their ability to inspire and bring people together. Unionizing HBG will help me and my coworkers reduce burnout and increase job security so that we can continue to produce great diverse stories that give readers the opportunity to discover new ideas, be entertained, and learn from others.

Cameron Rivas (she/her), Senior Production Associate, Manufacturing

Publishing used to be something of a “gentleman’s club,” where many employees had a private income or family support. This ethos remains today in the low wages and lack of unions. Our sister industry, newspaper publishing, is unionized. It always has been, and there’s no reason why we shouldn’t be, too.

Linda Arends (she/her), Production Editor, Little, Brown Managing Editorial

I have seen more solidarity and support from the creation of this union than I have ever witnessed from management. I LOVE my job, and I love the people I work with. I can see myself retiring from HBG, but how can we continue to work for a company that does not value its staff?

Jen Patten-Sanchez (she/they), Audiobook Producer, Audio

I’ve supported worker rights and the concept of unionization just on general principles for my entire life. But I learned of the HWC effort shortly after Manufacturing lost a cherished leader due to a C-suite decision to exact punishment to placate an unhappy author. That self-own, by those at the helm of Hachette, who should know better, made this self-evident: The good people of Hachette must organize to protect ourselves.

Michael Noon (he/him), Senior Production Editor, Little, Brown / Man Ed

I want a union at HBG because my colleagues and I deserve seats at the table where our working conditions are being decided. I love making books and so does everyone I work with, but we need to be compensated with a living wage and competitive benefits in order to sustain the work that we do. A union would make it possible for Hachette to keep publishing high-quality books that reach as many readers as possible—readers who would can rest easy knowing those books were created by a staff that is compensated for our valuable contributions to the literary world.

HK Goldstein (they/them), Book Designer, Workman Running Press

There’s a lot of great reasons to have a union, but ultimately, I want to make great books—books that comfort you, entertain you, teach you, challenge you, inspire you. And I want to make them with other people who love books as much as I do. If you want that too, you have to reinvest in your publishing staff—true support at every level of the business, that goes beyond surface-level fixes. We give our free time, our most winning ideas, our best work, but when we ask for support to make that happen, too many of us are told it’s not in the budget. For too long, we’ve taken the passion of entry-level and junior staff for granted, and it is not sustainable and never will be unless we make a conscious commitment to change the way things are. That’s why I’m voting YES.

Jenny Kimura, Associate Art Director, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

I believe in the work that we do in publishing, but there is so much room for change. There is a common joke that we work in publishing not for the money, but for the love of the game, but only passion alone is not enough to sustain us. We need worker protection, higher wages, and the only way we can get these things is by standing together as a collective to fight for our rights. A union will protect our present and also pave the way for a more equitable future.

Erica Huang (she/her), Production Associate, Production & Manufacturing

The mission of the Hachette Book Group is to make it easy for everyone to discover new worlds of ideas, learning, entertainment, and opportunity. Who carries out that mission? We do. We are taking ownership of our work and our success by advocating for a union. We grow as we take on unfamiliar ideas. We are changing the story, building relationships, challenging established thinking. As HBG’s leadership asks us to understand our consumers, we ask that you understand your workers, many of whom are struggling mightily with the insecurity and opacity of the status quo. Together we can publish great books well, and all of us can prosper.

Dave Cramer (he/him), Senior Product Analyst, Information Technology

Publishing people are passionate about books, but they are also laborers in a corporate structure, and all laborers deserve rights. Full stop! That is why I want a union. The decision to unionize is as much proactive as it is reactive. Corporations are built on the exploitation of labor—paying laborers significantly less than the full value of the labor they perform. No corporation, however well intentioned, has an incentive to protect its laborers. Laborers have a right to organize and protect our livelihoods, and we are choosing to exercise it. I want a union because I want to give Hachette’s leadership a second set of stakeholders it is legally bound to answer to: its employees.

Gracie Elliot, Senior Editor, Workman

What makes publishing powerful is story: that includes the stories of those we work with and what we each individually bring to the table. I’ve worked for Workman publishing for 15 years, and after being acquired by Hachette, we saw our coworkers’ jobs liquidated for profit. Some of these friends had dedicated half their lives to Workman, an assumed lifelong career. I do not wish to see any more acquiring and firing to improve the bottom line. We need true owner mentality: the stability of a living wage and the ability to safeguard our careers with “just cause” protection.

Jac (they/she), Pre-Media Production Designer, Publishing Operations

I want a union at Hachette because we deserve fair protections and fair wages for the amount of work that we do. Wages in publishing are still shockingly low for an industry based almost entirely in New York City, and, as we have learned in this tumultuous time in the publishing industry, any of us can be let go at any time with little-to-no notice. Though we are all passionate about what we do, employees at Hachette—and in publishing at large—should be excited to work there for MORE than just passion for books. Without the fear of losing our jobs without notice or not being able to afford our monthly expenses, we can better focus that passion on making the books that we love the best that they can be.

Liam (he/him), Designer, UNSQ Kids/GCP

I support a union at HBG because I love my job and I love book publishing, and one of the best ways to ensure a strong and lasting future for this industry is to improve the working conditions of the people who make our amazing products. That means workers having their rightful say to establish higher wages, stronger benefits, and protections against AI eliminating jobs, while also ensuring the policies that do work well already won’t be eroded any further. A union will strengthen our company by creating the conditions for happier, more diverse employees to build fulfilling, hardworking, and long-term careers at HBG.

Danny Cooper (he/him), Senior Editor, Workman Publishing

I’m so proud and excited to be able to be part of a union at HBG! I have been working at Hachette for going on 9 years and I genuinely love my job. Unionizing means I can safeguard not only my own labour, but also protect the rights of my coworkers both present and future — and “lift all boats” in the publishing industry overall! It is so inspiring to stand in solidarity with my colleagues across the company.

Leah CL, National Accounts Manager, HBG Canada

I know firsthand how challenging it is to affect real change in the publishing industry. But our voices and experiences matter. I’m unionizing to change the culture—to demand an accessible workplace, manager training, fair and equal pay, an inclusive hiring process, accountability for clear discrimination and layoffs. I’m unionizing for a seat at the table, not just for myself, but for my coworkers, for everyone in the industry, and for those who haven’t even started yet.

Celia Monroe (she/her), Academic Marketing Manager, Sales