1 00:00:01,720 --> 00:00:08,840 Speaker 1: Also media, Welcome to ikadath here a podcast re union. 2 00:00:08,960 --> 00:00:13,240 Speaker 2: Good and not everything that is called co op is good. 3 00:00:13,800 --> 00:00:17,920 Speaker 2: Sometimes they're not actually really co ops. I am your host, 4 00:00:17,960 --> 00:00:23,840 Speaker 2: Mia Long, and today we are joined by the people 5 00:00:24,200 --> 00:00:26,720 Speaker 2: struggling under the tyrannical fist of a co op, a 6 00:00:26,760 --> 00:00:33,320 Speaker 2: thing that shouldn't be possible and yet somehow. Yeah, yeah, 7 00:00:33,360 --> 00:00:36,479 Speaker 2: so we are. We're talking today with Es and Finley, 8 00:00:37,000 --> 00:00:40,440 Speaker 2: who are booksellers at the Seminary co Op in Chicago. 9 00:00:40,720 --> 00:00:44,560 Speaker 2: And yeah, we are welcoming the union back to the show. 10 00:00:45,080 --> 00:00:48,640 Speaker 2: And dear God, what a disaster. 11 00:00:50,400 --> 00:00:51,440 Speaker 3: What a year at a spen. 12 00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:54,720 Speaker 4: Well, it's really great to be found. I wish we 13 00:00:54,720 --> 00:00:58,240 Speaker 4: were back with slightly better news or yeah, since we 14 00:00:58,240 --> 00:01:04,240 Speaker 4: were last here. Certainly, yeah, because when we last spoke, 15 00:01:04,360 --> 00:01:09,120 Speaker 4: we had just sort of theatrically announced to art management 16 00:01:09,160 --> 00:01:11,880 Speaker 4: that we were in an organized shop with the IWW 17 00:01:12,040 --> 00:01:16,400 Speaker 4: and we were going to be bargaining with them for 18 00:01:16,640 --> 00:01:21,240 Speaker 4: better wages and humane working conditions for us all. And 19 00:01:21,280 --> 00:01:24,520 Speaker 4: they were like, yeah, you're a union, we so recognize that, 20 00:01:25,240 --> 00:01:27,680 Speaker 4: and then they have sat on their hands ever since. 21 00:01:28,680 --> 00:01:32,360 Speaker 2: Yeah, So let's roll back all the way to the 22 00:01:32,400 --> 00:01:34,840 Speaker 2: beginning and explain a little bit about what the Seminary 23 00:01:34,840 --> 00:01:37,880 Speaker 2: co Op is for people who weren't here. How many 24 00:01:37,959 --> 00:01:38,520 Speaker 2: years ago. 25 00:01:38,560 --> 00:01:42,720 Speaker 3: Was that though, that must have been last year. Yeah, yeah, 26 00:01:42,800 --> 00:01:48,520 Speaker 3: it was a while ago. I don't go yeah, yeah, yeah. 27 00:01:48,560 --> 00:01:51,600 Speaker 4: So the Seminary ca Op is a set of two 28 00:01:51,640 --> 00:01:54,559 Speaker 4: bookstores in Hyde Park, the Seminary co Op Bookstore, which 29 00:01:54,600 --> 00:01:59,160 Speaker 4: is a misnomer on two out of free counts. It's 30 00:01:59,240 --> 00:02:01,360 Speaker 4: not a seminary anym it's not a co op anymore. 31 00:02:01,400 --> 00:02:03,800 Speaker 4: It is still a bookstore, although it is not for 32 00:02:03,920 --> 00:02:09,160 Speaker 4: profit bookstore, which is a mysterious category of business that 33 00:02:09,720 --> 00:02:11,160 Speaker 4: doesn't exist anywhere else. 34 00:02:11,800 --> 00:02:12,400 Speaker 2: Baffling. 35 00:02:12,680 --> 00:02:16,440 Speaker 5: Yeah, briefly, just to enerject, I do think when I 36 00:02:16,480 --> 00:02:19,120 Speaker 5: would announce events and sort of give this exact breakdown 37 00:02:19,160 --> 00:02:22,040 Speaker 5: for audiences, like I said, not for profit bookstore whose 38 00:02:22,040 --> 00:02:24,760 Speaker 5: mission is book selling, right, And when I was hired 39 00:02:24,880 --> 00:02:28,320 Speaker 5: of like about three months before we announced we were unionizing, 40 00:02:28,400 --> 00:02:30,800 Speaker 5: the way it was put to me was other not 41 00:02:30,880 --> 00:02:33,079 Speaker 5: for profit bookstores they do a lot with like family 42 00:02:33,120 --> 00:02:37,000 Speaker 5: literacy or like specifically around women's issues. 43 00:02:37,040 --> 00:02:38,639 Speaker 3: But that was just. 44 00:02:39,000 --> 00:02:41,960 Speaker 5: Like an acknowledgement of the reality that bookstores don't make 45 00:02:41,960 --> 00:02:44,480 Speaker 5: a whole lot of money and what we are providing 46 00:02:44,639 --> 00:02:48,840 Speaker 5: is a not for profit bookstore is just the browsing experience. 47 00:02:48,919 --> 00:02:51,080 Speaker 5: We kept books on shelves for too long. It just 48 00:02:51,160 --> 00:02:54,440 Speaker 5: it seemed like a like a really romantic idea. 49 00:02:54,120 --> 00:02:55,919 Speaker 3: Of book selling that didn't have like a whole lot 50 00:02:55,919 --> 00:02:58,760 Speaker 3: of legs underneath it, so to speak. Yeah, so it 51 00:02:58,800 --> 00:03:01,040 Speaker 3: is nonsense, I would say, but that's me. 52 00:03:01,800 --> 00:03:07,240 Speaker 2: It's just a library, like we have this, it's called librarries. 53 00:03:07,440 --> 00:03:10,080 Speaker 3: Say they're a really big bookstore. I don't know. 54 00:03:10,240 --> 00:03:16,919 Speaker 6: It was vague, yeah, baffling, baffling, yes, yeah, And then 55 00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:18,960 Speaker 6: I guess I guess the second part of it is 56 00:03:19,040 --> 00:03:21,760 Speaker 6: like when they say it's a co op, what does 57 00:03:21,800 --> 00:03:22,200 Speaker 6: that mean? 58 00:03:22,760 --> 00:03:26,480 Speaker 4: It means truly and as conspeech is more that it 59 00:03:26,520 --> 00:03:30,919 Speaker 4: was founded by Chicago Theological Seminary students, and there was 60 00:03:30,960 --> 00:03:31,600 Speaker 4: a reason for that. 61 00:03:32,280 --> 00:03:34,840 Speaker 5: Yeah, like they did want to buy horse books at 62 00:03:34,880 --> 00:03:37,720 Speaker 5: the at the prices that retailers got them wholesale, And 63 00:03:37,760 --> 00:03:41,040 Speaker 5: so the thought was, I forget their names, but we 64 00:03:41,120 --> 00:03:42,040 Speaker 5: have the pictures of them. 65 00:03:42,040 --> 00:03:44,840 Speaker 3: It was like a Cavanaugh or something. But these two 66 00:03:44,880 --> 00:03:46,120 Speaker 3: guys just you. 67 00:03:46,080 --> 00:03:48,560 Speaker 5: Know, if you were a student at Chicago Theological Seminary, 68 00:03:49,160 --> 00:03:51,000 Speaker 5: we're even like a student at one of the other 69 00:03:51,320 --> 00:03:52,760 Speaker 5: divinity seminaries nearby. 70 00:03:52,800 --> 00:03:54,920 Speaker 3: You just put an amount of money and you. 71 00:03:54,920 --> 00:03:57,600 Speaker 5: Were part of like you got your course book cheaper, 72 00:03:58,080 --> 00:04:02,080 Speaker 5: you know, and under like a specific manager who came 73 00:04:02,200 --> 00:04:04,880 Speaker 5: like a couple decades after that, Like then it really 74 00:04:04,880 --> 00:04:07,600 Speaker 5: became like this is the neighborhood bookstore. This is part 75 00:04:07,600 --> 00:04:10,320 Speaker 5: of like as they say, like the intellectual sort of 76 00:04:10,320 --> 00:04:13,280 Speaker 5: cultural life of the university. But yeah, at one point 77 00:04:13,320 --> 00:04:15,640 Speaker 5: it was a cooperative because like you were a member 78 00:04:15,640 --> 00:04:18,320 Speaker 5: and you got your course books cheaper because you you know, 79 00:04:18,520 --> 00:04:20,120 Speaker 5: had a certain amount of shares in the books. 80 00:04:20,160 --> 00:04:23,160 Speaker 3: But yeah, it was a think smarter not harder kind 81 00:04:23,160 --> 00:04:23,479 Speaker 3: of scheme. 82 00:04:23,800 --> 00:04:27,840 Speaker 4: And then when they dissolved the like ownership shares and 83 00:04:27,880 --> 00:04:30,840 Speaker 4: stopped being a co op. That was twenty nineteen when 84 00:04:30,880 --> 00:04:34,080 Speaker 4: they organized as this not for profit. It's not a 85 00:04:34,120 --> 00:04:36,960 Speaker 4: five oh one C three, they don't have nonprofit status. 86 00:04:37,000 --> 00:04:39,920 Speaker 4: It's this slightly different thing. And so one of the 87 00:04:39,920 --> 00:04:42,400 Speaker 4: one things that has happened in the past year is 88 00:04:42,400 --> 00:04:45,360 Speaker 4: we had an interim director who got us like basically 89 00:04:45,400 --> 00:04:49,200 Speaker 4: a nonprofit sponsor who lends its five oh one C 90 00:04:49,360 --> 00:04:52,480 Speaker 4: three status to other organizations and allows you to take 91 00:04:52,520 --> 00:04:55,520 Speaker 4: text deductible donations, but like, up to that point, we 92 00:04:55,560 --> 00:04:59,160 Speaker 4: couldn't do that because we were not a legitimate nonprofit. 93 00:04:59,200 --> 00:05:00,360 Speaker 3: We were this other thing. 94 00:05:00,720 --> 00:05:06,040 Speaker 7: Yeah, So since twenty nineteen it's been that, and then 95 00:05:06,200 --> 00:05:11,000 Speaker 7: since twenty twenty four, it's been that plus Chicago's standalone 96 00:05:11,080 --> 00:05:12,120 Speaker 7: unionized bookstore. 97 00:05:12,760 --> 00:05:16,800 Speaker 3: For now, we're hoping that others follow in Chilah. They will, Yes. 98 00:05:17,600 --> 00:05:20,880 Speaker 2: I feel like it is not a great sign of 99 00:05:21,080 --> 00:05:24,880 Speaker 2: your business being a well run when you are doing 100 00:05:24,920 --> 00:05:29,520 Speaker 2: a thing that like rookie activist campaigns do when they're like, 101 00:05:29,560 --> 00:05:31,360 Speaker 2: oh shit, we got a bunch of money, we need 102 00:05:31,400 --> 00:05:33,159 Speaker 2: to borrow someone else's five O one. 103 00:05:34,120 --> 00:05:37,960 Speaker 8: Three status, Like yeah, great, great. 104 00:05:37,839 --> 00:05:41,240 Speaker 2: Job management, like but incredible stuff. 105 00:05:42,200 --> 00:05:44,440 Speaker 5: And like, for me, part of what's been so like 106 00:05:45,120 --> 00:05:48,600 Speaker 5: just mying boggling is like the not for profit bookstore 107 00:05:48,600 --> 00:05:50,680 Speaker 5: who's mission is book selling, does sort of give this, 108 00:05:50,920 --> 00:05:53,160 Speaker 5: you know, if we're like a five oh one C 109 00:05:53,320 --> 00:05:55,239 Speaker 5: three who often does it. They don't turn a profit 110 00:05:55,320 --> 00:05:57,720 Speaker 5: or what they do, they reinvest it back into the 111 00:05:57,760 --> 00:06:01,080 Speaker 5: operations they're doing. But like, and we can talk more 112 00:06:01,080 --> 00:06:03,599 Speaker 5: about this as we get into like the bargaining, but like, 113 00:06:03,680 --> 00:06:06,640 Speaker 5: store financials have been so obscured and I hate from 114 00:06:06,680 --> 00:06:10,479 Speaker 5: like truly, truly hate from a linguistic standpoint, just sort 115 00:06:10,480 --> 00:06:12,920 Speaker 5: of this subtle like, oh, we must not be doing well, 116 00:06:12,960 --> 00:06:15,480 Speaker 5: because to me that feels like the rhetoric that really 117 00:06:15,560 --> 00:06:19,120 Speaker 5: justifies the pack that I'm paid sixteen ninety an hour 118 00:06:19,160 --> 00:06:21,320 Speaker 5: and I have a Master's of Divinity from the Seminary 119 00:06:21,640 --> 00:06:22,720 Speaker 5: of the Seminary co Op. 120 00:06:22,920 --> 00:06:23,120 Speaker 4: Yeah. 121 00:06:23,160 --> 00:06:25,240 Speaker 2: Well, and it's and I think it's also worth noting that, 122 00:06:25,279 --> 00:06:30,000 Speaker 2: like even from the perspective of capital, like all of 123 00:06:30,080 --> 00:06:34,159 Speaker 2: the giant tech companies didn't make money for like decades, 124 00:06:34,640 --> 00:06:38,120 Speaker 2: and all those motherfuckers were walking off with like one 125 00:06:38,200 --> 00:06:41,400 Speaker 2: hundred billion dollar payouts, you know, like they only ever 126 00:06:41,440 --> 00:06:43,480 Speaker 2: started making money when they started like reeling in a 127 00:06:43,480 --> 00:06:45,760 Speaker 2: bunch of government contracts for like web services and like 128 00:06:45,760 --> 00:06:48,120 Speaker 2: defense contracts and shit. And it's like, I don't know, 129 00:06:48,200 --> 00:06:50,200 Speaker 2: like this is this is I guess on topic, but 130 00:06:50,320 --> 00:06:52,520 Speaker 2: it's just something that makes you really mad where people 131 00:06:52,640 --> 00:06:55,479 Speaker 2: talk about like running the government like a business and 132 00:06:55,480 --> 00:06:57,000 Speaker 2: then like, you know, you get like the post office 133 00:06:57,000 --> 00:06:58,880 Speaker 2: where it's like, oh, the post Office doesn't run a profit. 134 00:06:58,920 --> 00:07:01,679 Speaker 2: It's like, you know, doesn't what a fucking profit. Uber 135 00:07:02,080 --> 00:07:05,839 Speaker 2: literally has never brought a profit ever, not once yes, 136 00:07:06,360 --> 00:07:10,200 Speaker 2: now once right, Like it's like no, like like I'm sorry, welcome, 137 00:07:10,240 --> 00:07:14,240 Speaker 2: welcome to Welcome to twenty twenty five capitalism, Like companies 138 00:07:14,320 --> 00:07:17,440 Speaker 2: don't make profits. They either get contact from the government 139 00:07:17,520 --> 00:07:21,240 Speaker 2: or their entire existence is either conning some venture capitalists 140 00:07:21,240 --> 00:07:24,280 Speaker 2: dipshits out of all of their money. Or it's like 141 00:07:25,280 --> 00:07:28,760 Speaker 2: Peter theal has decided that your like surveillance camera company 142 00:07:28,800 --> 00:07:31,200 Speaker 2: is ideologically important to him taking over the world, so 143 00:07:31,320 --> 00:07:34,640 Speaker 2: he's going to give you one billion dollars and it's like, 144 00:07:35,040 --> 00:07:37,400 Speaker 2: oh no, I'm sorry, Like our financials aren't good enough 145 00:07:37,400 --> 00:07:40,200 Speaker 2: for you to pay you. It's like, motherfucker, Like have 146 00:07:40,320 --> 00:07:43,920 Speaker 2: you seen the rest of capitalism, like eat shit, pay. 147 00:07:43,720 --> 00:07:47,120 Speaker 3: Your workers, Like yeah, oh yeah, God damn well. 148 00:07:47,360 --> 00:07:50,760 Speaker 4: We keep using that one meme over and over and 149 00:07:50,760 --> 00:07:53,200 Speaker 4: then it is true, like we're trying to balance the budget. 150 00:07:53,640 --> 00:07:57,560 Speaker 3: It's the true. The candles drill, yeah, yeah. 151 00:07:59,120 --> 00:08:04,880 Speaker 4: Because our management is so infuriating. And they also in 152 00:08:04,920 --> 00:08:08,400 Speaker 4: the year since we've been bargaining having an interim director 153 00:08:08,440 --> 00:08:12,840 Speaker 4: and spent most of his tenure searching for an executive 154 00:08:12,840 --> 00:08:15,440 Speaker 4: director to take over. That person is being paid one 155 00:08:15,520 --> 00:08:19,120 Speaker 4: hundred and sixty thousand dollars a year to our knowledge 156 00:08:19,920 --> 00:08:23,440 Speaker 4: Jesus Christ. And that's the offer that we know of. 157 00:08:23,560 --> 00:08:25,840 Speaker 4: We have yet to get his contract even though we 158 00:08:25,880 --> 00:08:28,080 Speaker 4: did make a formal information request for it. 159 00:08:28,600 --> 00:08:31,240 Speaker 2: Yeah, which is fucked. And it's also like yeah, like 160 00:08:31,280 --> 00:08:34,960 Speaker 2: every time these companies are like, oh, we don't have money, 161 00:08:34,960 --> 00:08:40,080 Speaker 2: and it's like, okay, I can find like an unbelievable 162 00:08:40,120 --> 00:08:43,000 Speaker 2: amount of money that you have given to someone to 163 00:08:43,200 --> 00:08:46,760 Speaker 2: like to give a random, non specific example that has 164 00:08:46,800 --> 00:08:49,920 Speaker 2: nothing to do with with with any company that is 165 00:08:50,160 --> 00:08:55,080 Speaker 2: in any way related to this show Live or Dead 166 00:08:56,679 --> 00:09:02,679 Speaker 2: by a bored ape yacht club edft. 167 00:09:03,000 --> 00:09:07,560 Speaker 5: Like this is like they spend three hundred dollars on 168 00:09:07,880 --> 00:09:11,880 Speaker 5: Google home speakers for fifty seventh Street books and I'm like, wow, 169 00:09:12,320 --> 00:09:14,880 Speaker 5: my having that three hundred dollars would change my life. 170 00:09:15,840 --> 00:09:19,800 Speaker 5: But also like you're paying that union busting lawyer thousands 171 00:09:19,800 --> 00:09:22,320 Speaker 5: of dollars that you could be paid reverse yep, but 172 00:09:22,360 --> 00:09:23,600 Speaker 5: that's that's capitalism. 173 00:09:23,800 --> 00:09:26,360 Speaker 2: Yeah, they have enough money to make your lives miserable, 174 00:09:26,679 --> 00:09:29,640 Speaker 2: but they apparently never have enough money to you know, 175 00:09:29,920 --> 00:09:32,800 Speaker 2: like bake your lives not miserable because they have to 176 00:09:32,800 --> 00:09:35,240 Speaker 2: spend that money on making your lives miserable. 177 00:09:35,640 --> 00:09:39,920 Speaker 4: Yeah, and it's so intentional because making us miserable means 178 00:09:39,920 --> 00:09:43,760 Speaker 4: that they are wearing down the number of people that 179 00:09:43,760 --> 00:09:45,960 Speaker 4: they have to deal with and making the people who 180 00:09:46,040 --> 00:09:49,640 Speaker 4: are left so tired and so frustrated and so much 181 00:09:49,720 --> 00:09:51,480 Speaker 4: less capable of fighting them. 182 00:09:51,640 --> 00:09:56,600 Speaker 5: Yeah, and that feels like just you know, fens leaving. 183 00:09:56,640 --> 00:09:59,520 Speaker 5: We've also had a number of folks, like our bargaining 184 00:09:59,600 --> 00:10:01,880 Speaker 5: unit that the last time y'all spoke last year was 185 00:10:01,880 --> 00:10:05,520 Speaker 5: like twenty five people. Now we're down to eleven, and 186 00:10:05,840 --> 00:10:10,160 Speaker 5: they've refused to hire anybody part time with full time. Yeah, 187 00:10:10,200 --> 00:10:13,240 Speaker 5: of course, but they've been giving seasonal workers sort of 188 00:10:13,280 --> 00:10:16,360 Speaker 5: like extra hours, and that is someone's got to start 189 00:10:16,360 --> 00:10:19,200 Speaker 5: counting they have like unless they work for ninety days, 190 00:10:19,640 --> 00:10:21,439 Speaker 5: they don't have to. And because they're seasonal, you know, 191 00:10:21,559 --> 00:10:24,360 Speaker 5: YadA YadA, they don't really join our union as kind 192 00:10:24,400 --> 00:10:27,720 Speaker 5: of what I understand why they are not considered eligible. 193 00:10:27,760 --> 00:10:30,680 Speaker 3: But it's like, the booksellers are the heart of the store. 194 00:10:31,240 --> 00:10:35,040 Speaker 4: The classification of signal workers and particularly of event runners, 195 00:10:35,240 --> 00:10:39,280 Speaker 4: has been a point of contention throughout negotiations this whole time, 196 00:10:39,320 --> 00:10:42,720 Speaker 4: because obviously, from our perspective, we want anyone who's working 197 00:10:42,720 --> 00:10:46,560 Speaker 4: in the store in any capacity to be involved in 198 00:10:46,559 --> 00:10:49,800 Speaker 4: the union. We want them to not have this random 199 00:10:49,880 --> 00:10:53,440 Speaker 4: scab force that they can deploy at will. Yeah, And 200 00:10:54,080 --> 00:10:58,079 Speaker 4: that has always been the point that gets revisited over 201 00:10:58,120 --> 00:10:59,840 Speaker 4: and over again. Just when we think we've gotten them, 202 00:11:00,080 --> 00:11:02,240 Speaker 4: often too, being union members, they'll come back with their 203 00:11:02,320 --> 00:11:04,800 Speaker 4: latest count and that's like, actually, I think because of X, 204 00:11:04,880 --> 00:11:06,680 Speaker 4: Y and b Z that we just changed, they're no 205 00:11:06,720 --> 00:11:11,240 Speaker 4: longer eligible to join your union. But they did just 206 00:11:11,400 --> 00:11:15,160 Speaker 4: hire I think three people that they were training at 207 00:11:15,200 --> 00:11:17,760 Speaker 4: fifty seventh Street last week, but they've made no formal 208 00:11:17,760 --> 00:11:20,920 Speaker 4: announcement to anyone that these people have been hired. 209 00:11:21,200 --> 00:11:21,640 Speaker 3: Yeah. 210 00:11:21,720 --> 00:11:24,600 Speaker 4: I only know that they were like in the stores 211 00:11:24,640 --> 00:11:26,360 Speaker 4: because one of them came to the co op by 212 00:11:26,400 --> 00:11:28,400 Speaker 4: mistake instead of fifty seventh Street and was like. 213 00:11:28,320 --> 00:11:29,559 Speaker 3: Oh, I'm one of the hires. 214 00:11:30,280 --> 00:11:30,839 Speaker 2: Oh. 215 00:11:31,120 --> 00:11:34,640 Speaker 4: And so it's unclear if those are the seasonal workers 216 00:11:34,800 --> 00:11:36,160 Speaker 4: or if those are new hires. 217 00:11:36,600 --> 00:11:40,560 Speaker 5: Those are I'll say the most recent member, like part time, 218 00:11:40,559 --> 00:11:43,559 Speaker 5: full time member of our staff who's not me. None 219 00:11:43,600 --> 00:11:45,040 Speaker 5: of us knew she was hired, and she just came 220 00:11:45,080 --> 00:11:46,480 Speaker 5: up took a book right off my cart and I 221 00:11:46,600 --> 00:11:50,440 Speaker 5: was like, bitch, what but she But those were events. 222 00:11:50,480 --> 00:11:52,920 Speaker 5: Those were the seasonal workers at the store. The other day, 223 00:11:52,960 --> 00:11:56,120 Speaker 5: Like I worked one of the Chicago Humanities events with them, 224 00:11:56,200 --> 00:11:58,760 Speaker 5: and it is like, yeah, then they just changed the 225 00:11:59,320 --> 00:12:01,200 Speaker 5: qualifking of who can be in the union. 226 00:12:01,600 --> 00:12:05,560 Speaker 4: Yeah, it's been very intentional, and it's been just like 227 00:12:05,840 --> 00:12:10,920 Speaker 4: over and over they revisit and reclassified and less down. 228 00:12:11,880 --> 00:12:15,679 Speaker 5: Yeah, we've done I think too since you last spoke, 229 00:12:16,120 --> 00:12:18,680 Speaker 5: like a couple of work stoppages and then picketed outside 230 00:12:18,720 --> 00:12:22,120 Speaker 5: of our store as well, But that I don't know 231 00:12:22,160 --> 00:12:25,280 Speaker 5: in terms of like sort of regressive bargaining through attrition 232 00:12:25,360 --> 00:12:27,680 Speaker 5: that we're seeing and that they refuse to hire other 233 00:12:27,720 --> 00:12:30,240 Speaker 5: people even though they're kind of shooting themselves in the foot. 234 00:12:30,679 --> 00:12:35,280 Speaker 5: But just like our direct action has I think worked 235 00:12:35,280 --> 00:12:37,320 Speaker 5: against what they're thinking, which is that we're tired and 236 00:12:37,320 --> 00:12:38,960 Speaker 5: that we're not going to fight back and that we 237 00:12:39,040 --> 00:12:43,120 Speaker 5: are overwhelmed and we don't know what we're doing. But 238 00:12:43,160 --> 00:12:44,800 Speaker 5: there are a lot of folks who do, have, you know, 239 00:12:45,000 --> 00:12:48,640 Speaker 5: experience with these sort of direct actions like a work stoppage, 240 00:12:49,160 --> 00:12:51,280 Speaker 5: and I think it's why it's great that we're wildly's 241 00:12:51,280 --> 00:12:54,640 Speaker 5: but also like I do kind of like on the 242 00:12:54,679 --> 00:12:58,240 Speaker 5: work stoppage, health flustered and not like upset, but just 243 00:12:58,240 --> 00:13:02,000 Speaker 5: how flustered and yeah, just awkward management feels it's it's 244 00:13:02,040 --> 00:13:07,000 Speaker 5: empowering for me. Yeah, but it's very much on purpose. Well, 245 00:13:07,000 --> 00:13:08,640 Speaker 5: and I think that's one of things said. 246 00:13:08,679 --> 00:13:13,880 Speaker 4: It's too just like a campaign in the broad sense 247 00:13:14,120 --> 00:13:17,800 Speaker 4: of continuing direct actions during negotiations. 248 00:13:17,920 --> 00:13:19,280 Speaker 3: Is it is that chance. 249 00:13:19,080 --> 00:13:22,319 Speaker 4: To connect with your coworkers and re solidify that you're 250 00:13:22,320 --> 00:13:25,960 Speaker 4: fighting for something intentional in the face of the fact 251 00:13:26,000 --> 00:13:30,240 Speaker 4: that you will probably start being scheduled more sparsely, you 252 00:13:30,240 --> 00:13:33,320 Speaker 4: will have fewer opportunities during the workday to talk to people, 253 00:13:33,880 --> 00:13:36,400 Speaker 4: and like that's just stuff that's going to happen while 254 00:13:36,480 --> 00:13:39,920 Speaker 4: negotiations go on. But like making sure that you stay 255 00:13:39,920 --> 00:13:42,000 Speaker 4: in touch with your union as best you can and 256 00:13:42,040 --> 00:13:44,120 Speaker 4: like show up for all the direct things that you 257 00:13:44,200 --> 00:13:48,520 Speaker 4: can helps you internally combat that, which is really helpful. 258 00:13:49,280 --> 00:13:50,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, And I mean, like you don't like I sound 259 00:13:50,520 --> 00:13:54,240 Speaker 2: like we ran into organizing cues. We spent like I 260 00:13:54,280 --> 00:13:57,920 Speaker 2: think it was two years bargaining for our contract, and 261 00:13:58,160 --> 00:14:01,280 Speaker 2: they didn't have the capacity to literally rely force half 262 00:14:01,400 --> 00:14:02,520 Speaker 2: the workforce to quit. 263 00:14:02,679 --> 00:14:04,000 Speaker 3: But like, oh, don't worry. 264 00:14:03,760 --> 00:14:06,560 Speaker 4: They don't have the capacity to lose this many people are, 265 00:14:08,000 --> 00:14:10,800 Speaker 4: seems and they are how few people they have? 266 00:14:11,360 --> 00:14:14,559 Speaker 2: Yep, this whole thing is it's just like a really 267 00:14:14,600 --> 00:14:18,040 Speaker 2: really common managerial tactic, yeah, which is just like we're 268 00:14:18,080 --> 00:14:20,840 Speaker 2: going to make everything unlivable and try to get as 269 00:14:20,880 --> 00:14:22,760 Speaker 2: many people as we can to quit and then just 270 00:14:22,960 --> 00:14:25,760 Speaker 2: make everyone else's lives a living hell, which is like 271 00:14:26,280 --> 00:14:29,200 Speaker 2: this is I think I've said this before, but it's 272 00:14:29,240 --> 00:14:33,360 Speaker 2: it's like the extent to which the strategy is just 273 00:14:34,040 --> 00:14:36,720 Speaker 2: the the deliberate infliction of terror. 274 00:14:38,080 --> 00:14:41,360 Speaker 4: Yeah, well, and the strategy is just tank your business, 275 00:14:41,720 --> 00:14:45,640 Speaker 4: which seems incredibly conintuitive from their perspective. 276 00:14:46,960 --> 00:14:49,720 Speaker 5: And like there have been events for like it's been 277 00:14:49,760 --> 00:14:53,080 Speaker 5: a book about like Karl Marx labor organizing, whether it's 278 00:14:53,080 --> 00:14:55,480 Speaker 5: a history or like a like sociology book, and folks 279 00:14:55,480 --> 00:14:57,800 Speaker 5: are like, I waited to buy this book here because 280 00:14:57,800 --> 00:15:00,120 Speaker 5: it's the Union bookstore, and like there is a way 281 00:15:00,160 --> 00:15:03,400 Speaker 5: that us being a union bookstore could look given like 282 00:15:03,440 --> 00:15:06,200 Speaker 5: that folks on our board are really progressive, people like 283 00:15:06,320 --> 00:15:10,320 Speaker 5: Adam Gettichu, like State Senator Robert Peters, who's like running 284 00:15:10,320 --> 00:15:14,200 Speaker 5: on a pretty pro labor background, Like us being unionized 285 00:15:14,240 --> 00:15:17,720 Speaker 5: could be like we are already at tourist bookstore, like 286 00:15:17,760 --> 00:15:20,360 Speaker 5: folks come from everywhere in or like this is such 287 00:15:20,400 --> 00:15:24,560 Speaker 5: a famous bookstore, but like it does baffle me. It 288 00:15:24,560 --> 00:15:26,800 Speaker 5: does make sense that it's a common tactic, but also 289 00:15:26,800 --> 00:15:29,520 Speaker 5: there's so much that could work in their favor if 290 00:15:29,520 --> 00:15:33,120 Speaker 5: they were not just like so committed to busting this 291 00:15:33,320 --> 00:15:34,160 Speaker 5: union we. 292 00:15:34,160 --> 00:15:38,160 Speaker 2: Hold on sidebar al Gritch. She was my professor. 293 00:15:38,600 --> 00:15:40,720 Speaker 5: Yeah, I talked to her today. Wait, she's just part 294 00:15:40,720 --> 00:15:43,200 Speaker 5: of the management team. No no, no, there's okay, so this 295 00:15:43,280 --> 00:15:44,440 Speaker 5: is part of it's just. 296 00:15:44,320 --> 00:15:46,040 Speaker 2: Like a different thing. Okay, sorry, sorry, this. 297 00:15:46,000 --> 00:15:48,080 Speaker 5: Is okay, No, no, no, this is this is where like 298 00:15:48,280 --> 00:15:51,080 Speaker 5: us being a not for profit bookstore but not actually 299 00:15:51,120 --> 00:15:53,680 Speaker 5: like having any legal standing as a not for profit 300 00:15:54,040 --> 00:15:56,120 Speaker 5: gets a little confusing, and like Finn, you can probably 301 00:15:56,160 --> 00:15:58,120 Speaker 5: speak more to how this has come up in the 302 00:15:58,160 --> 00:16:00,840 Speaker 5: bargaining meeting. But when we I don't know if this 303 00:16:01,040 --> 00:16:04,800 Speaker 5: was around before the cooperative was dissolved and shared are 304 00:16:04,840 --> 00:16:08,000 Speaker 5: basically like worthless at that point. But there is a 305 00:16:08,040 --> 00:16:11,840 Speaker 5: board of directors, one of whom like is very very 306 00:16:11,880 --> 00:16:14,320 Speaker 5: famous and at least among the folks I know, for 307 00:16:14,680 --> 00:16:18,520 Speaker 5: effectively union investing employees at Experimental Station on sixty first 308 00:16:18,560 --> 00:16:22,920 Speaker 5: in Blackstone when they try to unionize right. And also 309 00:16:23,720 --> 00:16:27,120 Speaker 5: there are so many like Hyde Park progressives like RJP, 310 00:16:27,520 --> 00:16:31,800 Speaker 5: like I Adam Gettachuw eve Ewing as well. And these 311 00:16:31,800 --> 00:16:34,840 Speaker 5: are people I really respect, but like because there's like 312 00:16:34,880 --> 00:16:37,560 Speaker 5: this four cabinet, I think of folks who are have 313 00:16:37,680 --> 00:16:40,640 Speaker 5: been in and out of bargaining meetings when we've had 314 00:16:41,040 --> 00:16:42,840 Speaker 5: employees at other lead for unions who do have a 315 00:16:42,880 --> 00:16:46,440 Speaker 5: connection to like for example, Robert Peters. It does very 316 00:16:46,480 --> 00:16:50,480 Speaker 5: clear that like this governing board which does govern, they 317 00:16:50,520 --> 00:16:53,440 Speaker 5: have terms, but we're also a retail outfit. You know, 318 00:16:53,680 --> 00:16:55,760 Speaker 5: usually like a not for profit, the board of a 319 00:16:55,800 --> 00:16:58,200 Speaker 5: not for profit would be helping with like an annual 320 00:16:58,200 --> 00:17:01,920 Speaker 5: fundraising campaign. It's unclear entirely what the board does in 321 00:17:01,960 --> 00:17:05,359 Speaker 5: a retail outfit other than, at least in my experience, 322 00:17:05,480 --> 00:17:09,600 Speaker 5: like giving advice, writing emails to try to bust this union, 323 00:17:09,800 --> 00:17:12,480 Speaker 5: you know, before we unionized, albeit I had a very 324 00:17:12,480 --> 00:17:15,840 Speaker 5: short tenure before we had unionized. None of these people, 325 00:17:16,160 --> 00:17:18,439 Speaker 5: none of their names matter to me. But because like 326 00:17:18,520 --> 00:17:21,240 Speaker 5: there's so much confusion about is management going to be 327 00:17:21,280 --> 00:17:23,760 Speaker 5: representing folks in the bargaining meeting or is it going 328 00:17:23,800 --> 00:17:26,880 Speaker 5: to be a board member representative. I've been just who 329 00:17:26,920 --> 00:17:29,879 Speaker 5: is accountable to disclose what financial information and when or 330 00:17:29,920 --> 00:17:33,960 Speaker 5: just any information and when, Like, yeah, Adam Adam Yettuchu 331 00:17:34,080 --> 00:17:35,879 Speaker 5: is not one of our one of our bosses, but 332 00:17:36,359 --> 00:17:39,320 Speaker 5: like there is just a lot of confusion that I 333 00:17:39,400 --> 00:17:42,720 Speaker 5: feel about what the board is responsible for in bargaining 334 00:17:42,720 --> 00:17:45,080 Speaker 5: and with the manage and what management feels they're responsible for. 335 00:17:45,560 --> 00:17:47,439 Speaker 4: And I can clear up a little bit of that 336 00:17:48,280 --> 00:17:52,920 Speaker 4: because what we were told when we first unionized and 337 00:17:53,000 --> 00:17:58,440 Speaker 4: when the management team was kind of shifting and reorganizing 338 00:17:58,440 --> 00:18:02,800 Speaker 4: itself around to the board was the board is there 339 00:18:03,440 --> 00:18:10,240 Speaker 4: primarily to advise and supervise and hire the executive director 340 00:18:10,320 --> 00:18:15,359 Speaker 4: for the stores. And so there is a financial contribution, 341 00:18:15,480 --> 00:18:18,800 Speaker 4: Like they're all significant donors. That's part of the way 342 00:18:18,840 --> 00:18:21,159 Speaker 4: that they secure their seats is making a large donation 343 00:18:21,240 --> 00:18:24,720 Speaker 4: to the stores. But then, at least according to them, 344 00:18:25,119 --> 00:18:30,280 Speaker 4: from that point forward, they have no managerial oversight over 345 00:18:30,320 --> 00:18:33,360 Speaker 4: the operations of the store whatsoever. It is not their responsibility. 346 00:18:33,400 --> 00:18:36,160 Speaker 4: They don't make any decisions about the budget, they don't 347 00:18:36,480 --> 00:18:40,000 Speaker 4: get involved, they don't want to be involved. And they 348 00:18:40,000 --> 00:18:44,480 Speaker 4: were embarrassed by having this attitude when previous management went 349 00:18:44,520 --> 00:18:46,439 Speaker 4: off the rails and nearly drove the store into the 350 00:18:46,440 --> 00:18:51,680 Speaker 4: ground by buying stock on credit cards. What but then 351 00:18:52,960 --> 00:18:55,760 Speaker 4: it's the whole thing that we do not have into 352 00:18:56,280 --> 00:18:56,840 Speaker 4: But that's. 353 00:18:58,800 --> 00:19:00,600 Speaker 3: This is bonkers. 354 00:19:00,760 --> 00:19:02,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, oh yeah. 355 00:19:02,119 --> 00:19:05,320 Speaker 4: That is to say that somehow that experience did not 356 00:19:05,480 --> 00:19:07,879 Speaker 4: act as a wake up call for this board of 357 00:19:07,960 --> 00:19:10,760 Speaker 4: directors and they said, what we will do is hire 358 00:19:10,800 --> 00:19:12,760 Speaker 4: the next way man we can find and take our 359 00:19:12,760 --> 00:19:13,879 Speaker 4: hands back off the wheel. 360 00:19:14,640 --> 00:19:17,600 Speaker 2: Jesus Christ, is this an institution that people like it 361 00:19:17,640 --> 00:19:19,200 Speaker 2: would be helpful to put pressure. 362 00:19:18,880 --> 00:19:23,560 Speaker 4: On or that's what It's hard to say because there's 363 00:19:23,840 --> 00:19:25,560 Speaker 4: this and I think I talked about it the last 364 00:19:25,600 --> 00:19:28,040 Speaker 4: time we were on the podcast, But there's this responsibility 365 00:19:28,040 --> 00:19:31,280 Speaker 4: carousel between management who in a bargaining session. Because the 366 00:19:31,320 --> 00:19:33,920 Speaker 4: other thing is because we can't tell how involved the 367 00:19:33,960 --> 00:19:36,399 Speaker 4: board is, because they tell us that they're not involved 368 00:19:36,400 --> 00:19:38,360 Speaker 4: at all, and then they make decisions and we hear 369 00:19:38,400 --> 00:19:42,120 Speaker 4: about the decisions that they're making. We have asked repeatedly 370 00:19:42,600 --> 00:19:44,880 Speaker 4: that they be involved in bargaining and that they send 371 00:19:44,920 --> 00:19:49,040 Speaker 4: someone to represent them, or they like participate and have 372 00:19:49,080 --> 00:19:50,920 Speaker 4: an opinion on the way that the stores are run, 373 00:19:51,160 --> 00:19:55,560 Speaker 4: and they have repeatedly refused those invitations, requests, demands, et cetera. 374 00:19:55,920 --> 00:19:57,120 Speaker 3: Yeah, it seems. 375 00:19:56,840 --> 00:20:00,640 Speaker 4: Their involvement has been to recommend that our management hired 376 00:20:00,720 --> 00:20:02,119 Speaker 4: Jenny Golds to be their lawyer. 377 00:20:02,160 --> 00:20:04,000 Speaker 2: And that is about as much as they want to do. 378 00:20:04,440 --> 00:20:07,240 Speaker 3: Jesus Christ like two things too. 379 00:20:07,359 --> 00:20:09,440 Speaker 5: And I think there was supposed to be a board 380 00:20:09,520 --> 00:20:13,240 Speaker 5: member president at the next bargaining meeting, but because our 381 00:20:13,280 --> 00:20:16,399 Speaker 5: meeting was contingent on having the full financial information that 382 00:20:16,400 --> 00:20:19,760 Speaker 5: we requested literally a month ago. And when we requested 383 00:20:19,760 --> 00:20:22,720 Speaker 5: that information, the next day a board member, the president 384 00:20:22,760 --> 00:20:24,439 Speaker 5: of the board said, Okay, we'll get this to you. 385 00:20:25,520 --> 00:20:26,159 Speaker 3: We got it. 386 00:20:26,200 --> 00:20:28,359 Speaker 5: I think you might know more about the timing of 387 00:20:28,400 --> 00:20:31,320 Speaker 5: this fit like at the last possible minute. 388 00:20:31,280 --> 00:20:34,119 Speaker 3: We got at the day before the meeting. Oh god, yeah, 389 00:20:34,119 --> 00:20:35,919 Speaker 3: and it was half of what we asked for. 390 00:20:36,720 --> 00:20:38,959 Speaker 4: Yeah, And then we said this is not what we 391 00:20:39,000 --> 00:20:41,080 Speaker 4: requested and we cannot meet because we said we couldn't 392 00:20:41,119 --> 00:20:43,880 Speaker 4: meet without this full information. They were like, we're disappointed 393 00:20:43,880 --> 00:20:47,120 Speaker 4: that you can't do that, and we were like, yeah, shocking. 394 00:20:47,840 --> 00:20:59,080 Speaker 9: Yeah, we are back. 395 00:21:00,359 --> 00:21:04,160 Speaker 2: Let's get more formally into like what the marketing process 396 00:21:04,200 --> 00:21:07,000 Speaker 2: has looked like. It sounds like it's been extremely chaotic. 397 00:21:07,280 --> 00:21:12,840 Speaker 2: They've been not running over information. It's deeply unclear who 398 00:21:12,840 --> 00:21:16,360 Speaker 2: he's making decisions which all seem and like I say, 399 00:21:16,359 --> 00:21:21,119 Speaker 2: this is my professional opinion, not good a technical anout 400 00:21:21,200 --> 00:21:24,159 Speaker 2: life assessment. Yeah, this is why they pay me the 401 00:21:24,200 --> 00:21:25,080 Speaker 2: mediocre bucks. 402 00:21:25,200 --> 00:21:28,119 Speaker 3: Well, I think you were just so well informed, yes, 403 00:21:29,359 --> 00:21:30,359 Speaker 3: journalistic insight. 404 00:21:30,560 --> 00:21:30,919 Speaker 2: Yeah. 405 00:21:31,160 --> 00:21:34,600 Speaker 3: So the way that we set. 406 00:21:34,400 --> 00:21:37,119 Speaker 4: It up on our end when we entered into negotiations 407 00:21:37,240 --> 00:21:39,840 Speaker 4: was we had a core team of three people who 408 00:21:39,840 --> 00:21:43,200 Speaker 4: were going to be our core bargaining unit who would 409 00:21:43,680 --> 00:21:46,760 Speaker 4: attend every meeting, and then we had a small team 410 00:21:47,200 --> 00:21:49,639 Speaker 4: of like three more people including myself, that were like 411 00:21:49,720 --> 00:21:53,160 Speaker 4: alternates in case something that scheduled on one day that 412 00:21:53,240 --> 00:21:55,439 Speaker 4: one of the core team couldn't be there, and we 413 00:21:55,520 --> 00:21:59,240 Speaker 4: made sure that we would always schedule one person who 414 00:21:59,320 --> 00:22:02,399 Speaker 4: was not aotiating to be at the meeting and take notes, 415 00:22:02,480 --> 00:22:04,520 Speaker 4: so that like none of the people who were negotiating 416 00:22:04,520 --> 00:22:05,200 Speaker 4: you had to do that at. 417 00:22:05,119 --> 00:22:05,720 Speaker 3: The same time. 418 00:22:06,040 --> 00:22:09,080 Speaker 4: And when we first started negotiating, the management team was 419 00:22:09,119 --> 00:22:13,040 Speaker 4: sending Dan Meyer, the interim director, and Nan Kanno, who's 420 00:22:13,080 --> 00:22:17,919 Speaker 4: our deputy director, who is basically the one person on 421 00:22:17,960 --> 00:22:21,240 Speaker 4: the management team who is not she's not supposed to 422 00:22:21,280 --> 00:22:23,399 Speaker 4: be a direct supervisor. She has not actually let go 423 00:22:23,440 --> 00:22:25,919 Speaker 4: of the people that she was supervising, but she's like 424 00:22:26,000 --> 00:22:29,479 Speaker 4: in that middle space between like supervising management and like 425 00:22:29,600 --> 00:22:34,880 Speaker 4: director management. But she has since stepped down from negotiations 426 00:22:34,880 --> 00:22:37,080 Speaker 4: because of the way that she's been involved in the 427 00:22:37,119 --> 00:22:40,320 Speaker 4: rest of store operations. She was like, I can't come 428 00:22:40,359 --> 00:22:44,480 Speaker 4: to the table anymore. And so the latest meeting that 429 00:22:44,520 --> 00:22:47,840 Speaker 4: has been rescheduled is going to be with Kevin Bendle, 430 00:22:47,920 --> 00:22:51,160 Speaker 4: who's the new executive director. And then one other name 431 00:22:51,200 --> 00:22:54,520 Speaker 4: that I forget who is either a board members as 432 00:22:54,600 --> 00:22:58,560 Speaker 4: thinks or I'm not sure, well she would be, but 433 00:22:58,800 --> 00:22:59,040 Speaker 4: it is. 434 00:22:59,080 --> 00:23:01,960 Speaker 5: It is a board member. I think it is Tira Goldstein. 435 00:23:02,520 --> 00:23:04,240 Speaker 5: Is her name Tia Goldsten? 436 00:23:04,840 --> 00:23:05,639 Speaker 10: Yeah. 437 00:23:05,800 --> 00:23:06,080 Speaker 3: Yeah. 438 00:23:06,280 --> 00:23:11,280 Speaker 4: Every so often in negotiating sessions, Dan or Nai would 439 00:23:11,320 --> 00:23:14,320 Speaker 4: make some reference to like a financial decision that we 440 00:23:14,320 --> 00:23:17,840 Speaker 4: were trying to bargain about, being like not their choice 441 00:23:17,840 --> 00:23:19,520 Speaker 4: and being something that would be up to the board, 442 00:23:19,560 --> 00:23:21,119 Speaker 4: and we'd be like, so take it to the board, 443 00:23:21,640 --> 00:23:24,200 Speaker 4: and then we'd be like okay, and then we would 444 00:23:24,200 --> 00:23:25,400 Speaker 4: never hear anything about it ever. 445 00:23:25,440 --> 00:23:30,679 Speaker 2: Again, incredible, incredible work. Seems like a great tactic to 446 00:23:31,119 --> 00:23:35,320 Speaker 2: never address anything you're supposed to be addressing. 447 00:23:36,200 --> 00:23:38,600 Speaker 4: And so the way that we were negotiating, we were 448 00:23:38,640 --> 00:23:43,240 Speaker 4: trying to come to terms on things that didn't affect 449 00:23:43,359 --> 00:23:46,000 Speaker 4: the finances of the store first so that we could 450 00:23:46,400 --> 00:23:49,320 Speaker 4: land some easy wins and like feel like we were 451 00:23:49,320 --> 00:23:52,040 Speaker 4: making progress and then address the stuff that we expected 452 00:23:52,080 --> 00:23:53,280 Speaker 4: to be thorny or later. 453 00:23:53,960 --> 00:23:55,880 Speaker 3: But then what that ended up. 454 00:23:55,800 --> 00:24:00,760 Speaker 4: Being as meetings went on and on was them asking 455 00:24:00,840 --> 00:24:03,600 Speaker 4: us constantly like, but what is it that you guys 456 00:24:03,640 --> 00:24:05,960 Speaker 4: really are like prioritizing, Like what is the thing that 457 00:24:06,000 --> 00:24:08,680 Speaker 4: matters the most to you that like you have the 458 00:24:08,800 --> 00:24:10,879 Speaker 4: least give on And we're like, it's wages. You know, 459 00:24:10,920 --> 00:24:11,439 Speaker 4: it's wages. 460 00:24:11,440 --> 00:24:12,720 Speaker 3: It's been waites this whole time. 461 00:24:13,040 --> 00:24:15,119 Speaker 4: And they're like, but like, what if we were like 462 00:24:15,760 --> 00:24:17,960 Speaker 4: asking you to give up all your benefits to get 463 00:24:18,000 --> 00:24:18,600 Speaker 4: wa It's just. 464 00:24:18,480 --> 00:24:18,920 Speaker 3: That you want. 465 00:24:19,000 --> 00:24:22,199 Speaker 4: And we were like, Okay, that's not how negotiating works. 466 00:24:25,440 --> 00:24:28,959 Speaker 4: And then, in an email that labeled it their best 467 00:24:29,240 --> 00:24:31,920 Speaker 4: and final offer, which is language that they have yet 468 00:24:31,920 --> 00:24:35,520 Speaker 4: to take back, they sent us a version of the 469 00:24:35,680 --> 00:24:39,040 Speaker 4: contract bargaining agreement that we hey, let me just back 470 00:24:39,119 --> 00:24:41,520 Speaker 4: up for a second. When we first started negotiating, they 471 00:24:41,680 --> 00:24:44,800 Speaker 4: asked us to draft the entire first draft of the 472 00:24:44,840 --> 00:24:49,359 Speaker 4: collective Bargaining Agreement ourselves, what which is incredible well standard, 473 00:24:49,400 --> 00:24:52,400 Speaker 4: and we were like, that's fine because that gives us 474 00:24:52,480 --> 00:24:55,119 Speaker 4: a leg up in terms of like studying the initial terms. 475 00:24:55,520 --> 00:24:56,479 Speaker 3: I guess we'll do it. 476 00:24:56,520 --> 00:25:00,240 Speaker 4: But like, yeah, incredibly nonstandards, super stupid, not that we 477 00:25:00,280 --> 00:25:00,919 Speaker 4: should have had to do. 478 00:25:01,440 --> 00:25:04,800 Speaker 2: Yeah, I've never heard of that before. 479 00:25:05,119 --> 00:25:08,080 Speaker 4: But so when we drafted it, we drafted a three 480 00:25:08,160 --> 00:25:11,399 Speaker 4: year term collective Bargaining Agreement with a bunch of stuff 481 00:25:11,400 --> 00:25:15,399 Speaker 4: about procedure and wages and benefits that we wanted done. 482 00:25:15,720 --> 00:25:19,480 Speaker 4: And so zooming back forward to that best and final offer, 483 00:25:19,920 --> 00:25:23,000 Speaker 4: suddenly the draft that they've sent us back of the 484 00:25:23,000 --> 00:25:24,159 Speaker 4: Collective Bargaining Agreement is. 485 00:25:24,119 --> 00:25:25,399 Speaker 3: A two year term. 486 00:25:25,440 --> 00:25:28,600 Speaker 4: And up to this point, all of the offers that 487 00:25:28,640 --> 00:25:31,960 Speaker 4: had gotten anything close to our ask on wages were 488 00:25:31,960 --> 00:25:34,560 Speaker 4: in year three, and everything in year one and two 489 00:25:34,720 --> 00:25:40,160 Speaker 4: was still like twenty five cents fifty cents increases. And 490 00:25:40,280 --> 00:25:43,760 Speaker 4: so suddenly year three, which was always the only year 491 00:25:43,800 --> 00:25:47,639 Speaker 4: that made any improvements for us, is gone, and you 492 00:25:47,920 --> 00:25:51,080 Speaker 4: did not improve any other parts of the contract to 493 00:25:51,119 --> 00:25:53,080 Speaker 4: make up for that unilateral decision. 494 00:25:53,800 --> 00:25:57,560 Speaker 2: So that's just progressive bargaining yeah, it is. It is, 495 00:25:58,960 --> 00:26:00,639 Speaker 2: which by the way, okay, do you want to explain 496 00:26:00,720 --> 00:26:03,120 Speaker 2: to our dear listeners what regressive bargaining is and why 497 00:26:03,119 --> 00:26:04,560 Speaker 2: you're not allowed to do it? 498 00:26:06,359 --> 00:26:07,080 Speaker 3: Yeah. 499 00:26:07,359 --> 00:26:13,080 Speaker 4: Regressive bargaining is a dirty negotiation tactic where one side, 500 00:26:13,520 --> 00:26:18,239 Speaker 4: without making any sort of give and take concessions like 501 00:26:18,280 --> 00:26:22,520 Speaker 4: they should to balance a big move, just unilaterally decides 502 00:26:22,560 --> 00:26:26,680 Speaker 4: to change a term, especially a large term like wages, 503 00:26:27,320 --> 00:26:32,480 Speaker 4: contract term, et cetera. And so it is taking something 504 00:26:32,520 --> 00:26:35,800 Speaker 4: that has been tentatively agreed upon and like in good 505 00:26:35,840 --> 00:26:38,720 Speaker 4: faith taken as a part of the contract that will stand, 506 00:26:39,200 --> 00:26:40,280 Speaker 4: and acting it. 507 00:26:41,359 --> 00:26:44,359 Speaker 2: Yeah, and you are not allowed to do this. This 508 00:26:44,400 --> 00:26:46,800 Speaker 2: is this is under the under the terms, under the 509 00:26:46,880 --> 00:26:49,480 Speaker 2: terms of the National Labor Relations Act, which you know, 510 00:26:49,880 --> 00:26:52,400 Speaker 2: who knows. But by the time this episode goes out, 511 00:26:52,440 --> 00:26:54,919 Speaker 2: there is a small chance it won't exist anymore. A 512 00:26:54,920 --> 00:26:57,760 Speaker 2: bunch of provisions of it are under attacked right now. 513 00:26:58,440 --> 00:27:03,000 Speaker 4: But like that is, we have a few unfair labor 514 00:27:03,000 --> 00:27:08,840 Speaker 4: practices filed with the NLRB since the terms of negotiation 515 00:27:09,040 --> 00:27:11,840 Speaker 4: have been in effect, and they are not in fact 516 00:27:11,920 --> 00:27:16,320 Speaker 4: progressive bargaining charges but issues of status quo where they're 517 00:27:16,359 --> 00:27:19,320 Speaker 4: trying to change the way that they do scheduling, change 518 00:27:19,320 --> 00:27:23,000 Speaker 4: the way that they do like absence discipline. 519 00:27:22,840 --> 00:27:25,000 Speaker 3: Which are topics that are covered in. 520 00:27:24,960 --> 00:27:28,879 Speaker 4: Bargaining and should only be changed in bargaining while bargaining 521 00:27:29,000 --> 00:27:32,360 Speaker 4: is active. But they're trying to change them and then 522 00:27:32,480 --> 00:27:35,640 Speaker 4: say that these have been the policies all along, and so. 523 00:27:36,400 --> 00:27:41,840 Speaker 2: God literally gaslighting. Yeah, like actual, actual, straight up. You 524 00:27:41,840 --> 00:27:44,760 Speaker 2: could pick up the gap the psychologue the psychology textbook 525 00:27:45,160 --> 00:27:46,400 Speaker 2: plight to it, like. 526 00:27:46,440 --> 00:27:48,560 Speaker 4: Oh yeah, just pick up that whole lamp and we 527 00:27:48,680 --> 00:27:51,800 Speaker 4: have their words in writing of every step of the 528 00:27:51,800 --> 00:27:56,000 Speaker 4: way where you can see the language change and be like, no, 529 00:27:56,720 --> 00:27:59,040 Speaker 4: you are the person who said before that it was 530 00:27:59,080 --> 00:28:03,720 Speaker 4: this other thing that was you. Yeah, So we filed 531 00:28:03,840 --> 00:28:07,439 Speaker 4: unfair labor practice about those things, and you can in 532 00:28:07,520 --> 00:28:11,000 Speaker 4: fact not track them anymore because since the government shut down, 533 00:28:11,119 --> 00:28:13,720 Speaker 4: you can find a little pdf that explains, yep, that 534 00:28:14,119 --> 00:28:16,800 Speaker 4: all ulps are going to be pending indefinitely, and that 535 00:28:16,920 --> 00:28:17,960 Speaker 4: is all you can find. 536 00:28:18,640 --> 00:28:22,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, and it's also fun because Trump I legally fired 537 00:28:22,200 --> 00:28:23,640 Speaker 2: one of the Democratic people on it. So you don't 538 00:28:23,640 --> 00:28:25,280 Speaker 2: have a korum any on the board of the National 539 00:28:25,400 --> 00:28:27,720 Speaker 2: Relations Boys. They don't have a korum anymore, which is 540 00:28:28,000 --> 00:28:33,080 Speaker 2: a shit show and snaking any NLRB like attempt to 541 00:28:33,080 --> 00:28:35,760 Speaker 2: get anything done to the NLRB really annoying. 542 00:28:36,000 --> 00:28:41,360 Speaker 11: Yeah, yeah, I think the direct action has been helpful, 543 00:28:41,400 --> 00:28:45,040 Speaker 11: where like just that reality would just they just it 544 00:28:45,080 --> 00:28:46,160 Speaker 11: would drive me crazy. 545 00:28:46,440 --> 00:28:46,960 Speaker 3: And it is. 546 00:28:47,160 --> 00:28:49,959 Speaker 5: It is gaslighting. This is traumatizing. If your boyfriend does 547 00:28:50,000 --> 00:28:51,360 Speaker 5: it to you, it's a red flag. But when your 548 00:28:51,400 --> 00:28:54,320 Speaker 5: boss does it to you, you know, it's like, yeah, 549 00:28:54,440 --> 00:28:59,200 Speaker 5: the public's fine with it. Business, Yeah, it's acrost the business. Yeah, 550 00:28:59,320 --> 00:29:02,960 Speaker 5: it is just the continuous, non stop onslaught of regressive 551 00:29:03,000 --> 00:29:06,080 Speaker 5: bargaining tactics that like from the minute we started, despite 552 00:29:06,160 --> 00:29:07,800 Speaker 5: the fact that like I was sitting next to the 553 00:29:07,840 --> 00:29:10,800 Speaker 5: director when we said reunionizing, it was like a split 554 00:29:10,880 --> 00:29:13,640 Speaker 5: second before she said, yep, we recognize it. And so 555 00:29:14,040 --> 00:29:17,040 Speaker 5: our direct action at the workstoppage. I remember our first 556 00:29:17,080 --> 00:29:19,400 Speaker 5: work stop and he sat for half an hour. Management 557 00:29:19,440 --> 00:29:21,719 Speaker 5: was very cool with that. The second time we did it, 558 00:29:21,760 --> 00:29:23,440 Speaker 5: we did it for an hour. We should have done 559 00:29:23,480 --> 00:29:25,480 Speaker 5: our homework better because we didn't know that you can't, 560 00:29:25,520 --> 00:29:28,680 Speaker 5: like like leaf live it on store property because he 561 00:29:28,760 --> 00:29:31,240 Speaker 5: us Chicago is our landlord and kind of like not 562 00:29:31,360 --> 00:29:35,320 Speaker 5: store property. But I put on my clerical collar. I 563 00:29:35,360 --> 00:29:38,240 Speaker 5: put on a T shirt that had like given to Caesar, 564 00:29:38,320 --> 00:29:40,600 Speaker 5: what is Caesar's and also like a little footnote. 565 00:29:40,240 --> 00:29:42,400 Speaker 3: About you know, run me my money. 566 00:29:42,600 --> 00:29:45,680 Speaker 5: You know there's a lot obvious instruction from Jesus out 567 00:29:45,680 --> 00:29:47,640 Speaker 5: of Luke that's like pay the work or their wages. 568 00:29:47,680 --> 00:29:50,239 Speaker 5: But I was wearing my clerical car. I set up 569 00:29:50,240 --> 00:29:52,960 Speaker 5: the PA and I and I was loud. There was 570 00:29:53,000 --> 00:29:55,800 Speaker 5: a Hyde Park Harold reporter who you know took my 571 00:29:55,920 --> 00:29:59,719 Speaker 5: comment who I remember him walking over to Nien and 572 00:29:59,800 --> 00:30:02,720 Speaker 5: I I think asking her for her comment. I had 573 00:30:02,960 --> 00:30:06,800 Speaker 5: a bluetooth speaker that was Dan's right playing never never 574 00:30:06,840 --> 00:30:09,080 Speaker 5: fight a man with a perm by idols and I 575 00:30:09,120 --> 00:30:12,480 Speaker 5: will not forget. I will not forget the way our 576 00:30:12,600 --> 00:30:14,720 Speaker 5: the deputy director approached me, She was like, Okay, this 577 00:30:14,800 --> 00:30:16,200 Speaker 5: is fine, this is all fine. I just want to 578 00:30:16,240 --> 00:30:17,640 Speaker 5: let you know this is fine, but can you please 579 00:30:17,840 --> 00:30:20,200 Speaker 5: turn the music off. And it took me about twenty 580 00:30:20,240 --> 00:30:23,959 Speaker 5: minutes to just turn the buttons down slowly, But like 581 00:30:24,160 --> 00:30:26,560 Speaker 5: that we were reprimanded. 582 00:30:26,640 --> 00:30:30,320 Speaker 4: Yeah, we got a very very email the next day 583 00:30:30,800 --> 00:30:34,280 Speaker 4: left illustrating what the consequences would be if we tried 584 00:30:34,280 --> 00:30:36,600 Speaker 4: to do a similar action again. 585 00:30:37,200 --> 00:30:40,120 Speaker 5: In that manner, and so we picketed outside their store. 586 00:30:40,160 --> 00:30:42,000 Speaker 5: That was the next direct action that we did. But 587 00:30:42,120 --> 00:30:46,240 Speaker 5: like I do think our most impactful direct actions have 588 00:30:46,400 --> 00:30:48,680 Speaker 5: been the ones that have been noisy, that have been 589 00:30:48,720 --> 00:30:52,200 Speaker 5: incredibly visible. When we picketed last it was on the 590 00:30:52,240 --> 00:30:55,400 Speaker 5: first day of classes. We sell like a lot of 591 00:30:55,480 --> 00:30:58,400 Speaker 5: core core course books for the college at the university, 592 00:30:58,880 --> 00:31:01,720 Speaker 5: and so there were students. It's like that we were like, hey, 593 00:31:01,760 --> 00:31:03,640 Speaker 5: do you have the bookseller who sold you that book 594 00:31:03,720 --> 00:31:07,080 Speaker 5: to have a living wage? And students like nineteen year 595 00:31:07,080 --> 00:31:09,240 Speaker 5: olds are so outraged by the amount of money I 596 00:31:09,320 --> 00:31:10,520 Speaker 5: make as a grown person. 597 00:31:11,440 --> 00:31:13,560 Speaker 3: I heard so much eat the rich that day from 598 00:31:13,800 --> 00:31:17,160 Speaker 3: sillennials Kell Yeah, hell yeah. 599 00:31:17,280 --> 00:31:20,880 Speaker 5: But it is clear that when the public is made 600 00:31:20,920 --> 00:31:23,320 Speaker 5: aware of what's happening at a store that a lot 601 00:31:23,320 --> 00:31:25,240 Speaker 5: of people love just so much, like it is a 602 00:31:25,240 --> 00:31:26,960 Speaker 5: part of the community, and I think so much a 603 00:31:27,000 --> 00:31:29,800 Speaker 5: part of people's even like my own before I work there. 604 00:31:30,200 --> 00:31:35,920 Speaker 5: Our experience of being in this fight knit bizarre community 605 00:31:35,960 --> 00:31:37,520 Speaker 5: and folks. 606 00:31:37,280 --> 00:31:39,880 Speaker 3: Are upset like they and I think rightfully so. 607 00:31:40,120 --> 00:31:42,880 Speaker 5: And that's just I think, really the beauty of direct 608 00:31:42,920 --> 00:31:45,040 Speaker 5: action is not just that it empowers us, but it 609 00:31:45,160 --> 00:31:47,960 Speaker 5: really just like in a sort of spectacle way, says 610 00:31:48,000 --> 00:31:50,280 Speaker 5: this is what this is what they're doing. You want 611 00:31:50,280 --> 00:31:52,760 Speaker 5: a place that you love to run this way and 612 00:31:52,760 --> 00:31:53,880 Speaker 5: to treat people like this. 613 00:31:54,560 --> 00:31:57,680 Speaker 4: So and I think they're really effective for that reason, 614 00:31:57,880 --> 00:32:03,080 Speaker 4: especially because people are really like on our side when 615 00:32:03,080 --> 00:32:06,720 Speaker 4: they talk to us, but they're also really surprised because like, 616 00:32:07,280 --> 00:32:10,440 Speaker 4: part of the instant recognition thing, part of the being 617 00:32:10,520 --> 00:32:14,000 Speaker 4: cool with us having union buttons on the register, part 618 00:32:14,000 --> 00:32:16,160 Speaker 4: of all of that is the fact that management is 619 00:32:16,200 --> 00:32:20,000 Speaker 4: benefiting from the illusion that they're on good terms with us. 620 00:32:20,040 --> 00:32:21,680 Speaker 4: And so like one of the reasons that we held 621 00:32:21,680 --> 00:32:25,040 Speaker 4: that picket was to be like, hey, just because they 622 00:32:25,200 --> 00:32:27,920 Speaker 4: are not stopping us, does not mean they have done 623 00:32:27,960 --> 00:32:30,560 Speaker 4: anything to improve the material conditions that we have been 624 00:32:30,640 --> 00:32:31,920 Speaker 4: organizing around this whole time. 625 00:32:32,320 --> 00:32:32,640 Speaker 3: Yeah. 626 00:32:32,680 --> 00:32:36,479 Speaker 2: Well, and also to be incredibly clear about this, like 627 00:32:37,400 --> 00:32:41,360 Speaker 2: it's so obvious it has to actually directly be stated, 628 00:32:41,440 --> 00:32:43,480 Speaker 2: which is that all of the things they are doing 629 00:32:43,480 --> 00:32:47,719 Speaker 2: our union busting tactics, because their strategy here is to 630 00:32:47,720 --> 00:32:50,440 Speaker 2: do a recognition and then go for the second place 631 00:32:50,560 --> 00:32:54,320 Speaker 2: where unions most commonly collapse, which is once you're recognized 632 00:32:54,360 --> 00:32:57,160 Speaker 2: as as a bargaining The second place they fail is 633 00:32:57,200 --> 00:32:59,560 Speaker 2: getting the first contract and that that's what they're really 634 00:32:59,640 --> 00:33:03,240 Speaker 2: obvious trying to do. And yeah, the fact that people 635 00:33:03,240 --> 00:33:06,280 Speaker 2: don't understand that they're just running a thing that like 636 00:33:07,080 --> 00:33:09,320 Speaker 2: I'm trying to think of how to even describe it. 637 00:33:09,360 --> 00:33:12,520 Speaker 2: Was like like that bookstore was like like it was 638 00:33:12,680 --> 00:33:15,640 Speaker 2: treated as like something that was as an institution that 639 00:33:15,720 --> 00:33:18,320 Speaker 2: was like part of the university. That's like the way 640 00:33:18,360 --> 00:33:21,160 Speaker 2: it was like treated culturally was this is like our thing, 641 00:33:21,440 --> 00:33:23,840 Speaker 2: and these people are running it into the ground because 642 00:33:23,880 --> 00:33:26,840 Speaker 2: they don't want to pay their workers like enough money 643 00:33:26,880 --> 00:33:27,400 Speaker 2: to survive. 644 00:33:27,960 --> 00:33:30,920 Speaker 4: It's is just hideous and that's really all it comes 645 00:33:30,960 --> 00:33:34,280 Speaker 4: down too when you look at what the facts on 646 00:33:34,320 --> 00:33:37,440 Speaker 4: the ground are is the decisions that they are making 647 00:33:37,720 --> 00:33:40,120 Speaker 4: are directly tied to the fact that they feel like 648 00:33:40,160 --> 00:33:42,200 Speaker 4: they have no money, which is directly to the fact 649 00:33:42,360 --> 00:33:44,800 Speaker 4: that they are paying the executive director too much, which 650 00:33:44,880 --> 00:33:47,240 Speaker 4: is directly died to the fact that they want to 651 00:33:47,240 --> 00:33:49,720 Speaker 4: have an excuse to not pay us anything. 652 00:33:50,360 --> 00:33:52,640 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, it's like, oh, wow, we don't have enough 653 00:33:52,680 --> 00:33:55,400 Speaker 2: money because we're spending like one hundred and sixty thousand 654 00:33:55,440 --> 00:33:58,520 Speaker 2: dollars on an executive director. Have you considered you can 655 00:33:58,680 --> 00:34:02,200 Speaker 2: simply eliminate the entire expense by turning this into an 656 00:34:02,240 --> 00:34:05,360 Speaker 2: actual co op. You could do it in like one day, 657 00:34:05,480 --> 00:34:09,160 Speaker 2: and you suddenly would not have the administration expenses because 658 00:34:09,680 --> 00:34:12,759 Speaker 2: those people wouldn't it be there. You could do this 659 00:34:13,120 --> 00:34:13,800 Speaker 2: really easily. 660 00:34:14,239 --> 00:34:17,960 Speaker 4: Oh well, And as the like movement in and out 661 00:34:18,000 --> 00:34:21,200 Speaker 4: of that position over the past year demonstrates, it has 662 00:34:21,239 --> 00:34:23,600 Speaker 4: no effect on the operations the bookstore. 663 00:34:24,600 --> 00:34:25,800 Speaker 3: The thing that has any. 664 00:34:25,640 --> 00:34:27,719 Speaker 4: Effect on the operations of the bookstore is the fact 665 00:34:27,719 --> 00:34:31,120 Speaker 4: that seven people have left, not been replaced, and all 666 00:34:31,160 --> 00:34:35,640 Speaker 4: of their work has been redistributed across like increasingly siloed 667 00:34:35,680 --> 00:34:37,719 Speaker 4: positions to the people who are left, so that you 668 00:34:37,800 --> 00:34:41,160 Speaker 4: have no help on your particular assigned task that is 669 00:34:41,200 --> 00:34:44,880 Speaker 4: now your seniors alone, and you just feel terrible in 670 00:34:44,920 --> 00:34:48,920 Speaker 4: your little hole by yourself, which which there's is something like. 671 00:34:48,920 --> 00:34:52,080 Speaker 2: I know for a fact that like multiple people on 672 00:34:52,120 --> 00:34:55,200 Speaker 2: that board know what a speed up is, Like that's 673 00:34:55,400 --> 00:34:58,640 Speaker 2: that's a speed up. I know for a fact that 674 00:34:58,719 --> 00:34:59,680 Speaker 2: you know what this. 675 00:34:59,680 --> 00:35:02,200 Speaker 4: Is, and most of them who know what it is 676 00:35:02,280 --> 00:35:05,160 Speaker 4: have written against them. 677 00:35:05,920 --> 00:35:08,920 Speaker 3: Yeah, just kind of like expanding a bit larger. 678 00:35:09,040 --> 00:35:12,279 Speaker 5: The staff at the Museum of Science and Industry has 679 00:35:12,320 --> 00:35:15,400 Speaker 5: also unionized and they were outside of their store, you know, 680 00:35:15,520 --> 00:35:18,640 Speaker 5: threatening to strike, and so like I loved on the 681 00:35:18,719 --> 00:35:21,280 Speaker 5: picket line, like I had a sign that said fire Jenny, 682 00:35:21,520 --> 00:35:22,880 Speaker 5: and I went to explain. 683 00:35:22,520 --> 00:35:22,920 Speaker 4: To the U. 684 00:35:23,239 --> 00:35:25,839 Speaker 5: Yeah, I want to explain to the UI employee who 685 00:35:26,000 --> 00:35:28,840 Speaker 5: Jenny was. The UI employee who worked at the Graduate 686 00:35:28,880 --> 00:35:31,840 Speaker 5: Students United at Chicago, and she went, oh, I know 687 00:35:31,880 --> 00:35:36,480 Speaker 5: who Jenny is, and that's I don't know, just yeah, 688 00:35:36,800 --> 00:35:40,600 Speaker 5: it's sick that like somebody can make their living making 689 00:35:40,640 --> 00:35:43,760 Speaker 5: my life worse than a's that's capitalism. 690 00:35:43,800 --> 00:35:47,400 Speaker 3: And also be like she has been involved that lawyer 691 00:35:47,440 --> 00:35:49,880 Speaker 3: and like a number of like she busting trying. 692 00:35:49,719 --> 00:35:54,320 Speaker 5: To bust unions at U Chicago unsuccessfully and also representing 693 00:35:54,320 --> 00:35:57,800 Speaker 5: Northwestern in a case where one of their employees accused 694 00:35:57,800 --> 00:36:00,640 Speaker 5: them of sexual harassment and discrimination. You know. 695 00:36:00,800 --> 00:36:03,279 Speaker 3: So it's like you're you're really. 696 00:36:03,400 --> 00:36:06,279 Speaker 5: This, this is this is the person that you're working with. 697 00:36:06,360 --> 00:36:09,520 Speaker 5: This is the tool that you're using, you know, is 698 00:36:09,560 --> 00:36:10,839 Speaker 5: it too you would rather pay? 699 00:36:11,880 --> 00:36:12,200 Speaker 3: Yeah? 700 00:36:12,320 --> 00:36:14,680 Speaker 2: Yeah yeah. And it's also it's like that that that's 701 00:36:14,680 --> 00:36:16,839 Speaker 2: the thing where this this whole metaphor of like the 702 00:36:16,880 --> 00:36:19,799 Speaker 2: boss acting as an abusive partner is suddenly getting very 703 00:36:19,880 --> 00:36:22,440 Speaker 2: literal in terms of who they're who are the people 704 00:36:22,480 --> 00:36:26,319 Speaker 2: that they are employing do for their other ship, which 705 00:36:26,360 --> 00:36:31,680 Speaker 2: is defending those people. Yeah, yeah, it's it's it's it's 706 00:36:31,680 --> 00:36:34,799 Speaker 2: almost like there's a structural connection between management and patriarchy. Wow, 707 00:36:34,800 --> 00:36:37,399 Speaker 2: who could possibly who could possibly have done this? 708 00:36:37,520 --> 00:36:39,040 Speaker 3: Between systems of abuse? 709 00:36:39,840 --> 00:36:43,760 Speaker 2: Yeah, like who could possibly have written about this? Check's notes? 710 00:36:43,880 --> 00:36:46,480 Speaker 2: Looks at the books that were written by the members 711 00:36:46,680 --> 00:36:47,320 Speaker 2: of the board. 712 00:36:47,880 --> 00:36:49,920 Speaker 3: Yeah, like, yeah, I'm so. 713 00:36:49,920 --> 00:36:53,960 Speaker 2: Mad about this, Like we'll niking after Empire is really good? 714 00:36:55,040 --> 00:36:55,440 Speaker 3: It is? 715 00:36:55,800 --> 00:36:58,040 Speaker 5: Yeah, And I like, I don't know how much I 716 00:36:58,080 --> 00:37:01,600 Speaker 5: can like hold those individual members responsible and it seems 717 00:37:01,640 --> 00:37:03,000 Speaker 5: like so many of them are like. 718 00:37:03,160 --> 00:37:06,080 Speaker 3: Just now finding out about it. Yeah, that's some abuse. 719 00:37:06,120 --> 00:37:08,000 Speaker 5: One O One is to make sure that the person 720 00:37:08,440 --> 00:37:11,760 Speaker 5: that you are exploiting, that you were, you know, taking 721 00:37:11,800 --> 00:37:14,560 Speaker 5: advantage of that they don't feel like they can say 722 00:37:14,600 --> 00:37:16,840 Speaker 5: to people who could help them, this is what's happening 723 00:37:16,880 --> 00:37:19,680 Speaker 5: to me, and that like the people who would be sympathetic, 724 00:37:19,719 --> 00:37:23,520 Speaker 5: could you know, go and take the initiative to help folks? 725 00:37:23,560 --> 00:37:27,640 Speaker 5: And ungrateful that we have a meeting with Robert Peters 726 00:37:27,840 --> 00:37:30,680 Speaker 5: coming up soon. It was supposed to happen that has 727 00:37:30,719 --> 00:37:34,560 Speaker 5: not yet, and I appreciate how dedicated he is and 728 00:37:34,600 --> 00:37:36,799 Speaker 5: his staff is to making sure that our union sits 729 00:37:36,840 --> 00:37:37,799 Speaker 5: down and talks with him. 730 00:37:38,200 --> 00:37:40,640 Speaker 4: But it is also like there's a deep irony for 731 00:37:40,800 --> 00:37:44,040 Speaker 4: him accepting an award from another union and rescheduling a 732 00:37:44,040 --> 00:37:44,480 Speaker 4: meeting with. 733 00:37:44,480 --> 00:37:45,239 Speaker 2: Ourskay do it? 734 00:37:45,280 --> 00:37:47,920 Speaker 3: No, no, no, no, no, it's because we have Jacob. I always 735 00:37:47,960 --> 00:37:53,040 Speaker 3: say it incorrectly asked me. Yeah, the BigInt. But that's 736 00:37:53,080 --> 00:37:55,520 Speaker 3: also like part of the other great community support. 737 00:37:55,600 --> 00:37:58,080 Speaker 5: Like I mentioned that UE employee, but you know, there 738 00:37:58,080 --> 00:38:01,000 Speaker 5: are other union employees who just because they love the 739 00:38:01,000 --> 00:38:02,400 Speaker 5: bookstore so much, we'll. 740 00:38:02,200 --> 00:38:04,920 Speaker 3: Show up to every outreach to that that we have. 741 00:38:05,400 --> 00:38:07,000 Speaker 5: He was one of the first people to have a 742 00:38:07,080 --> 00:38:08,880 Speaker 5: yard sign, and it's funny he was right next to 743 00:38:09,560 --> 00:38:11,799 Speaker 5: this guy from my church who also has a window sign, 744 00:38:11,840 --> 00:38:13,400 Speaker 5: and that's why I found out they were neighbors. 745 00:38:13,719 --> 00:38:14,880 Speaker 3: Yeah, that's really cute. 746 00:38:15,320 --> 00:38:19,640 Speaker 5: But like, I'm proud that we're Wobbles because there is 747 00:38:20,200 --> 00:38:22,760 Speaker 5: a really long tradition of you know, being in Chicago, 748 00:38:22,920 --> 00:38:26,160 Speaker 5: a lot of radical organizing that I think fits our 749 00:38:26,200 --> 00:38:28,560 Speaker 5: spirit and also like the seminary co op spirit. It 750 00:38:28,600 --> 00:38:30,040 Speaker 5: has been hard that we don't have a lot of 751 00:38:30,080 --> 00:38:33,560 Speaker 5: resources towards bargaining, but like we're good at direct action 752 00:38:33,719 --> 00:38:36,760 Speaker 5: and we also have I'll give it the ask Me award. 753 00:38:36,800 --> 00:38:39,239 Speaker 5: I'll give it a pass because Jacob's been so and 754 00:38:39,280 --> 00:38:42,080 Speaker 5: other community members have been so helpful and just giving 755 00:38:42,120 --> 00:38:44,680 Speaker 5: their time and their skills and their expertise. 756 00:38:44,760 --> 00:38:48,319 Speaker 4: So yeah, yeah, the MSI Union, the Grad Students' Union 757 00:38:48,400 --> 00:38:51,840 Speaker 4: in particular, have been incredible allies to us and have 758 00:38:52,040 --> 00:38:55,839 Speaker 4: been they were huge like presences on our picket because like, 759 00:38:56,160 --> 00:38:59,920 Speaker 4: because we did an open store running picket, we have 760 00:39:00,040 --> 00:39:03,040 Speaker 4: had only about half of our actual union members available 761 00:39:03,040 --> 00:39:04,560 Speaker 4: because everyone else had to be on desks in the 762 00:39:04,600 --> 00:39:08,200 Speaker 4: stores keeping them running. And so the majority of the 763 00:39:08,200 --> 00:39:10,920 Speaker 4: people who were like collecting signatures to get Jenny Goltz 764 00:39:10,960 --> 00:39:14,080 Speaker 4: fired and otherwise improve our wardening conditions were people from 765 00:39:14,160 --> 00:39:18,000 Speaker 4: other unions who were just out there being wonderful, awesome, 766 00:39:18,040 --> 00:39:19,280 Speaker 4: solid orgy with us. 767 00:39:19,480 --> 00:39:20,040 Speaker 1: Yeah. 768 00:39:20,120 --> 00:39:22,160 Speaker 2: So my first picket line, I mean, I think I 769 00:39:22,160 --> 00:39:25,120 Speaker 2: made it last EPs, but my first picket line ever 770 00:39:25,520 --> 00:39:28,000 Speaker 2: was the grad student picket line in twenty nineteen. Those 771 00:39:28,040 --> 00:39:29,200 Speaker 2: those are the first time I was ever on a 772 00:39:29,239 --> 00:39:30,160 Speaker 2: picket and it rocks. 773 00:39:30,640 --> 00:39:32,600 Speaker 9: Yeah, and yeah, it. 774 00:39:32,560 --> 00:39:35,440 Speaker 2: Makes it really happy to see that the whole base 775 00:39:35,480 --> 00:39:39,640 Speaker 2: of sort of union organizing from that has like you know, 776 00:39:39,760 --> 00:39:41,799 Speaker 2: it's it's this thing that like I remember when this was, 777 00:39:42,000 --> 00:39:43,680 Speaker 2: like you know, like I was there and like one 778 00:39:43,680 --> 00:39:45,480 Speaker 2: of the big pushes and everyone they finally won, and 779 00:39:45,520 --> 00:39:49,240 Speaker 2: it's like they're still around helping people because workers, workers 780 00:39:49,320 --> 00:39:50,760 Speaker 2: fucking fight together and. 781 00:39:51,040 --> 00:39:53,080 Speaker 4: Well and then they'll always be like, hey, one thing 782 00:39:53,120 --> 00:39:56,279 Speaker 4: that we know about Jenny GOLs is she likes to lose, and. 783 00:39:56,239 --> 00:39:58,399 Speaker 3: We're like, thanks, thank you. 784 00:39:59,320 --> 00:40:01,520 Speaker 5: Then it's not that she likes to use the quotea 785 00:40:01,520 --> 00:40:05,560 Speaker 5: is she's very good at losing, which that's true. 786 00:40:05,640 --> 00:40:07,320 Speaker 3: Even better, even better. 787 00:40:07,440 --> 00:40:10,759 Speaker 5: Yeah, And like what you were saying about Gsu, I 788 00:40:10,760 --> 00:40:12,680 Speaker 5: don't remember what I think Like two thousand and eight, 789 00:40:12,680 --> 00:40:15,319 Speaker 5: two thousand and seven was like when they said we 790 00:40:15,840 --> 00:40:19,279 Speaker 5: starting organizing for unionizing the graduate students. I had a 791 00:40:19,360 --> 00:40:22,239 Speaker 5: roommate who was like a twelve year PhD student who 792 00:40:22,360 --> 00:40:26,400 Speaker 5: was around when that shit started. You can just count 793 00:40:26,400 --> 00:40:29,760 Speaker 5: hanging out with your wife in Australia as a field research, 794 00:40:29,880 --> 00:40:35,440 Speaker 5: I guess, But well, she's just doing postdocs. You're just 795 00:40:35,440 --> 00:40:39,400 Speaker 5: hanging out. But we had a baby yesterday anyway. 796 00:40:39,719 --> 00:40:42,400 Speaker 3: Oh but yeah, like I was around. 797 00:40:42,440 --> 00:40:45,680 Speaker 5: He came back to finish his PhD, like about the 798 00:40:45,719 --> 00:40:49,160 Speaker 5: time like when the contract was ratified, and I just 799 00:40:49,320 --> 00:40:52,520 Speaker 5: with what is it, sixteen seventeen months of bargaining no 800 00:40:52,640 --> 00:40:55,960 Speaker 5: contract in the name of my blessed Lord Jesus Christ. 801 00:40:56,080 --> 00:40:57,200 Speaker 3: Like Jesus Christ. 802 00:40:57,320 --> 00:41:00,440 Speaker 5: GSU has had, like has such a wealth of knowledge 803 00:41:00,440 --> 00:41:03,360 Speaker 5: because they've been through just like heaps of bullshit and 804 00:41:03,400 --> 00:41:05,200 Speaker 5: it's years. 805 00:41:05,400 --> 00:41:09,080 Speaker 2: It's like, okay, I would I will like the fucking 806 00:41:09,120 --> 00:41:11,919 Speaker 2: GSU think they had a whole thing when I was there, 807 00:41:11,960 --> 00:41:13,719 Speaker 2: like in like twenty nineteen, the whole the whole thing 808 00:41:13,880 --> 00:41:16,279 Speaker 2: was that And like Jennuay, this is like one of 809 00:41:16,320 --> 00:41:18,360 Speaker 2: the most admirable things I've ever seen a union do, 810 00:41:18,480 --> 00:41:23,560 Speaker 2: which was they refused to take their their case because 811 00:41:23,600 --> 00:41:26,759 Speaker 2: the university was refusing to recognize them, and they they 812 00:41:26,840 --> 00:41:29,759 Speaker 2: refuse to take their case to the NLRB because they 813 00:41:29,840 --> 00:41:31,200 Speaker 2: knew that if they did it, there was there was 814 00:41:31,239 --> 00:41:33,239 Speaker 2: a pretty good chance that the old Trump nl RB 815 00:41:33,440 --> 00:41:36,120 Speaker 2: was going to like bust every single graduate school union 816 00:41:36,120 --> 00:41:39,520 Speaker 2: in the country. So instead of trying to win for themselves, 817 00:41:39,560 --> 00:41:42,239 Speaker 2: they fucking didn't do it and just like fought on 818 00:41:42,320 --> 00:41:46,560 Speaker 2: packet lines instead, and it fucking rocked. It was like 819 00:41:46,600 --> 00:41:51,480 Speaker 2: that there. They rock, They're they're great, Like, yeah, yeah, 820 00:41:51,520 --> 00:41:53,320 Speaker 2: shout out, shoutouts, shout out to GSU. 821 00:41:53,600 --> 00:41:54,920 Speaker 3: Yeah, shout out to Gsu. 822 00:41:55,160 --> 00:41:59,239 Speaker 4: Well, and they are a great, great, great example to 823 00:41:59,320 --> 00:42:04,279 Speaker 4: us all in terms of like how to persist on 824 00:42:04,320 --> 00:42:07,279 Speaker 4: a fight through attrition, because one of the things that 825 00:42:07,320 --> 00:42:11,279 Speaker 4: like you try so hard as a management team to 826 00:42:11,320 --> 00:42:13,400 Speaker 4: do is just wait until ever and gets tired and leaves, 827 00:42:13,480 --> 00:42:15,640 Speaker 4: and like it seems like Grand Students would be the 828 00:42:15,680 --> 00:42:18,920 Speaker 4: perfect population just just wait out because they rotate out constantly. 829 00:42:19,320 --> 00:42:23,360 Speaker 4: But like just the way that they have managed to 830 00:42:23,440 --> 00:42:27,279 Speaker 4: maintain energy through generations and generations of organizers and get 831 00:42:27,320 --> 00:42:30,920 Speaker 4: it over the line at Long Lives is so encouraging. 832 00:42:32,360 --> 00:42:45,719 Speaker 10: Yeah, there's a thing I remember from I think the 833 00:42:45,800 --> 00:42:48,360 Speaker 10: last place I read into it was like one of 834 00:42:48,440 --> 00:42:50,160 Speaker 10: Mike Duncan's things about the French Revolution. 835 00:42:50,680 --> 00:42:52,279 Speaker 2: Like one of the things he talked about was like 836 00:42:52,960 --> 00:42:56,160 Speaker 2: the ways in which part of what caused the French 837 00:42:56,200 --> 00:42:58,200 Speaker 2: Revolution was that like they spent a whole bunch of 838 00:42:58,200 --> 00:43:01,800 Speaker 2: time teaching all of these kids these like incredibly radical 839 00:43:01,880 --> 00:43:04,040 Speaker 2: enlightenment ideas and then they were like, wait, we live 840 00:43:04,080 --> 00:43:06,880 Speaker 2: in like the most absolute monarchy that has ever existed. 841 00:43:07,160 --> 00:43:07,920 Speaker 2: What the fuck? 842 00:43:08,160 --> 00:43:11,480 Speaker 3: Wait we hate this? Yeah yeah, yeah. 843 00:43:11,440 --> 00:43:14,560 Speaker 2: Like wait, hold on, And it's like there is obviously 844 00:43:14,680 --> 00:43:18,680 Speaker 2: always sort of contradictions between like the number of people 845 00:43:18,680 --> 00:43:21,640 Speaker 2: I have seen write books about labor resistance and then 846 00:43:21,800 --> 00:43:25,239 Speaker 2: like go bust unions is pretty large. But there's a 847 00:43:25,280 --> 00:43:32,160 Speaker 2: reason why everyone from like Pinochet through like the Trump administration, 848 00:43:32,360 --> 00:43:34,640 Speaker 2: I mean back through like the original Nazis. It's like 849 00:43:35,440 --> 00:43:37,160 Speaker 2: one of the first places and you know, I mean 850 00:43:37,239 --> 00:43:38,799 Speaker 2: like the Greek riot place had this thing where it 851 00:43:38,880 --> 00:43:41,120 Speaker 2: was like the first place you go when there's discontent 852 00:43:41,280 --> 00:43:44,600 Speaker 2: is like you must stop the workers from from allying 853 00:43:44,640 --> 00:43:45,360 Speaker 2: with the students. 854 00:43:45,760 --> 00:43:46,879 Speaker 3: You must do this. 855 00:43:47,280 --> 00:43:48,280 Speaker 2: When you're fucked. 856 00:43:50,000 --> 00:43:52,839 Speaker 4: Yeah, but the workers and the students love each other. 857 00:43:53,160 --> 00:43:58,120 Speaker 3: They're all kissing. Yeah, and we're the same person sometimes, 858 00:43:58,320 --> 00:43:58,520 Speaker 3: you know. 859 00:43:59,160 --> 00:44:03,960 Speaker 5: Yeah, yep, yep, yep, all my comments that kiss on 860 00:44:03,960 --> 00:44:06,960 Speaker 5: the forehead, yes, ah yeah. 861 00:44:07,000 --> 00:44:08,400 Speaker 2: And I think like that is I think like the 862 00:44:08,440 --> 00:44:11,160 Speaker 2: positive element of all of this is like the way 863 00:44:11,239 --> 00:44:15,719 Speaker 2: that one campaign winning can transform the lives of everyone 864 00:44:15,760 --> 00:44:20,160 Speaker 2: else around you is so astonishing. And I've seen it 865 00:44:20,200 --> 00:44:23,480 Speaker 2: happen in so many places where like one shop wins 866 00:44:23,560 --> 00:44:26,479 Speaker 2: and suddenly everyone else is like it could be us 867 00:44:26,640 --> 00:44:27,680 Speaker 2: it could be us. 868 00:44:28,000 --> 00:44:31,600 Speaker 3: Yes, it's possible. Yeah, yeah, yeah. 869 00:44:31,120 --> 00:44:33,719 Speaker 4: Well, and I think that we're trying to capitalize on 870 00:44:33,800 --> 00:44:35,680 Speaker 4: that and trying to make sure that we can be 871 00:44:35,719 --> 00:44:39,680 Speaker 4: the next person to like capitalize on GSU's win and 872 00:44:40,080 --> 00:44:43,839 Speaker 4: help ms I do the same. But like, as much 873 00:44:43,880 --> 00:44:49,560 Speaker 4: as we have really suffered from the at the table 874 00:44:49,719 --> 00:44:53,480 Speaker 4: bargaining new ohating process and been really sort of beaten 875 00:44:53,520 --> 00:44:56,560 Speaker 4: down in the past year on that battleground, I think 876 00:44:56,640 --> 00:45:00,960 Speaker 4: we have learned so much about the the allies that 877 00:45:01,040 --> 00:45:05,200 Speaker 4: surround us and the people who like want to do 878 00:45:05,280 --> 00:45:07,640 Speaker 4: more than just email our board members, and we're like, 879 00:45:07,760 --> 00:45:09,960 Speaker 4: we don't know what else you can do because we 880 00:45:10,000 --> 00:45:12,759 Speaker 4: don't know who makes these decisions for you to yell at. 881 00:45:13,960 --> 00:45:16,759 Speaker 4: But we have so many people who have like signed 882 00:45:16,800 --> 00:45:18,439 Speaker 4: up for an email list with us, so many people 883 00:45:18,480 --> 00:45:20,680 Speaker 4: who are like ready to go as soon as we 884 00:45:20,719 --> 00:45:21,320 Speaker 4: figure out. 885 00:45:21,160 --> 00:45:22,080 Speaker 3: What we need them to do. 886 00:45:22,600 --> 00:45:26,880 Speaker 4: Yeah, And that's been really encouraging and bolstering. While management 887 00:45:26,920 --> 00:45:30,200 Speaker 4: continues to like just not acknowledge us when they feel 888 00:45:30,320 --> 00:45:33,840 Speaker 4: too cornered, like they simply never spoke of the picket 889 00:45:33,880 --> 00:45:36,080 Speaker 4: because it happened outside and so they couldn't be mad 890 00:45:36,120 --> 00:45:37,759 Speaker 4: about it, so they didn't have to tell us all 891 00:45:37,840 --> 00:45:41,160 Speaker 4: about it, but they also just didn't speak of it. 892 00:45:43,560 --> 00:45:48,200 Speaker 5: Yeah, this is Chicago is a motherfucking union town. 893 00:45:48,920 --> 00:45:50,000 Speaker 3: And that's what. 894 00:45:50,600 --> 00:45:53,480 Speaker 5: Yeah, I'll admit I'm angry when I go into work. 895 00:45:53,719 --> 00:45:55,600 Speaker 5: They don't care enough to get the mold and the 896 00:45:55,680 --> 00:45:59,520 Speaker 5: dust remediated, you know, and the DUTs and I can't 897 00:45:59,520 --> 00:46:01,919 Speaker 5: really breathe when I go into work. And I also 898 00:46:01,960 --> 00:46:05,400 Speaker 5: don't have health insurance right, Oh my god. Well I 899 00:46:05,440 --> 00:46:07,160 Speaker 5: do have health insurance, but I have to pay for 900 00:46:07,280 --> 00:46:08,839 Speaker 5: like you know, I have to pay for my own 901 00:46:08,880 --> 00:46:12,200 Speaker 5: premiums through a marketplace there. Yeah, and that's that's not 902 00:46:12,239 --> 00:46:17,120 Speaker 5: really affordable. And like, as frustrated as I am like 903 00:46:17,200 --> 00:46:20,279 Speaker 5: coming into work, it is it's the people, you know. 904 00:46:20,320 --> 00:46:21,960 Speaker 5: And I think that's for a lot of folks who 905 00:46:22,000 --> 00:46:24,239 Speaker 5: have stayed at the bookstore. I don't know how much 906 00:46:24,280 --> 00:46:26,960 Speaker 5: you relate to this then, like it has been like 907 00:46:27,080 --> 00:46:29,879 Speaker 5: other booksellers, the folks that we've gotten to know through 908 00:46:29,960 --> 00:46:32,719 Speaker 5: the community, who like who do make a difference at 909 00:46:32,800 --> 00:46:34,280 Speaker 5: least for me and whether or not I stay. 910 00:46:34,920 --> 00:46:37,839 Speaker 3: Oh, absolutely, Yeah, this is a good fight. 911 00:46:38,520 --> 00:46:43,840 Speaker 4: The union crew that we have is a incredibly worthwhile 912 00:46:43,880 --> 00:46:45,759 Speaker 4: team to be on. It is a group of people 913 00:46:45,800 --> 00:46:48,880 Speaker 4: that I feel very solid standing shoulder to shoulder with. 914 00:46:49,040 --> 00:46:52,640 Speaker 4: I think that is, like, without question, one of the 915 00:46:52,640 --> 00:46:55,560 Speaker 4: things that like keeps the stores a place that you 916 00:46:55,760 --> 00:46:58,000 Speaker 4: can work, even if it's not a good place to 917 00:46:58,080 --> 00:46:58,839 Speaker 4: work right now. 918 00:46:59,080 --> 00:46:59,279 Speaker 5: Yeah. 919 00:47:00,080 --> 00:47:02,600 Speaker 4: Yeah, And honestly, I think that would have sustained me 920 00:47:02,640 --> 00:47:04,719 Speaker 4: a lot longer if you were different, you know. 921 00:47:06,000 --> 00:47:09,880 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah for sure. Wait, okay, sorry, poole back to 922 00:47:09,920 --> 00:47:12,640 Speaker 2: the part where you can't breathe because there's I feel 923 00:47:12,640 --> 00:47:15,240 Speaker 2: like because there's bolts. I feel like you just dropped 924 00:47:15,239 --> 00:47:17,440 Speaker 2: that very quickly. It was like, oh, yeah, that's like 925 00:47:17,480 --> 00:47:18,480 Speaker 2: a normal part of the work. 926 00:47:18,880 --> 00:47:22,759 Speaker 4: What the fought Well, so for a very long time 927 00:47:22,840 --> 00:47:25,799 Speaker 4: you've been allowed to request that you only work at 928 00:47:25,800 --> 00:47:28,320 Speaker 4: the co op because there is a known mode problem 929 00:47:28,320 --> 00:47:31,440 Speaker 4: at fifty seventh Street that they can't afford to or 930 00:47:31,480 --> 00:47:35,920 Speaker 4: can't get the landlord to ameliorate. But there is also, 931 00:47:36,160 --> 00:47:41,520 Speaker 4: at least in our lung experience, some sort of growth 932 00:47:41,560 --> 00:47:43,400 Speaker 4: issue in the venting at the seminary. 933 00:47:43,440 --> 00:47:47,320 Speaker 3: Come up, Yeah, it's it's very dusty at beast. 934 00:47:47,400 --> 00:47:49,719 Speaker 5: And like I when I wear like a like a 935 00:47:49,800 --> 00:47:53,040 Speaker 5: kN ninety five for a little bit, like that helps 936 00:47:53,040 --> 00:47:53,440 Speaker 5: a little. 937 00:47:53,600 --> 00:47:54,560 Speaker 3: I take like five. 938 00:47:54,440 --> 00:47:57,480 Speaker 5: Bena drill usually and then that Jesus, that kind of 939 00:47:57,719 --> 00:48:00,279 Speaker 5: that kind of helps. And that's more just I think, 940 00:48:00,080 --> 00:48:02,279 Speaker 5: like I mean not more. That is in part like 941 00:48:02,360 --> 00:48:05,799 Speaker 5: my own health. But if I had the resources too, yeah, 942 00:48:06,160 --> 00:48:07,839 Speaker 5: be able to take care of my health and get 943 00:48:07,840 --> 00:48:11,040 Speaker 5: what I need, maybe I could withstand the mold and 944 00:48:11,080 --> 00:48:12,800 Speaker 5: the dust and the ducks a little bit easier. 945 00:48:12,840 --> 00:48:15,280 Speaker 2: But like that well, but also like like as an employer, 946 00:48:15,320 --> 00:48:17,840 Speaker 2: it is your responsibility to not have your workplace poison 947 00:48:17,960 --> 00:48:21,919 Speaker 2: your employees, Like I'm sorry, like that part yeah, yeah, yeah, 948 00:48:22,080 --> 00:48:24,759 Speaker 2: that also make them pay for the medical care to 949 00:48:25,160 --> 00:48:28,000 Speaker 2: treat medical problems that they're having because you'd poison them 950 00:48:28,040 --> 00:48:34,080 Speaker 2: with mold. Like what that's yeah what Jesus christn it's 951 00:48:34,120 --> 00:48:34,720 Speaker 2: so evil. 952 00:48:35,560 --> 00:48:38,520 Speaker 4: Well, And we had a couple of pauses in our 953 00:48:39,000 --> 00:48:43,680 Speaker 4: first draft of the Collective Bardaining Agreement that included demands 954 00:48:43,719 --> 00:48:46,520 Speaker 4: regarding mold remediation at fifty seventh Street, and I do 955 00:48:46,600 --> 00:48:50,959 Speaker 4: believe th clauses have been struck in subsequent round. 956 00:48:52,760 --> 00:48:55,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean, I guess that's the thing that you 957 00:48:55,440 --> 00:48:57,560 Speaker 2: could ask people to do, which is go ask people 958 00:48:57,640 --> 00:49:01,759 Speaker 2: to complain about the fucking mold like it seems like 959 00:49:01,800 --> 00:49:02,799 Speaker 2: a thing you could do. 960 00:49:03,360 --> 00:49:07,640 Speaker 5: Yeah, it's my another direct action. I also noticed, like 961 00:49:07,719 --> 00:49:10,600 Speaker 5: people in the store, like they cough when they enter. Yeah, 962 00:49:10,640 --> 00:49:13,080 Speaker 5: you know, and like, oh god, this is where the 963 00:49:13,360 --> 00:49:15,920 Speaker 5: like the snake eats its own tail. The wheel turns 964 00:49:15,920 --> 00:49:19,040 Speaker 5: inside the fucking wheel, right, because like maybe, like if 965 00:49:19,080 --> 00:49:21,680 Speaker 5: I'm giving them good faith benefit of the doubt, management 966 00:49:21,719 --> 00:49:24,840 Speaker 5: would have if they weren't overloaded with so many tasks 967 00:49:24,880 --> 00:49:26,600 Speaker 5: that they have to take on, you know, sort of 968 00:49:26,640 --> 00:49:30,880 Speaker 5: more supervisory management. If y'all didn't have to do all 969 00:49:30,880 --> 00:49:34,239 Speaker 5: these tasks, maybe you would have time to If there 970 00:49:34,239 --> 00:49:37,000 Speaker 5: are more people hired in the bargaining unit, perhaps you 971 00:49:37,040 --> 00:49:40,400 Speaker 5: could yourself have more time to improve the conditions for 972 00:49:40,440 --> 00:49:42,440 Speaker 5: the store, not just for your workers, but also for 973 00:49:42,480 --> 00:49:44,480 Speaker 5: the people who enter the stores. 974 00:49:44,560 --> 00:49:45,200 Speaker 3: But because you. 975 00:49:45,239 --> 00:49:48,160 Speaker 5: Will hire new workers until there's a contract, you are 976 00:49:48,200 --> 00:49:50,439 Speaker 5: just so overworked and you can't And it's just like this, 977 00:49:50,440 --> 00:49:53,680 Speaker 5: this turns until the boss decides that it doesn't, and 978 00:49:53,719 --> 00:49:56,760 Speaker 5: it's like this, this is their responsibility to to bargain 979 00:49:56,760 --> 00:49:59,640 Speaker 5: in good faith and to treat their workers correctly, Like 980 00:49:59,680 --> 00:50:02,520 Speaker 5: this is an active decision that they could make that 981 00:50:02,520 --> 00:50:03,320 Speaker 5: they are not making. 982 00:50:03,760 --> 00:50:07,000 Speaker 2: So yeah, I gotta say that that might be the 983 00:50:07,080 --> 00:50:09,719 Speaker 2: single wildest thing I've ever heard, like an hour into 984 00:50:09,760 --> 00:50:12,680 Speaker 2: an interview, is Oh, yeah, they're poisoning guys. 985 00:50:14,719 --> 00:50:16,840 Speaker 3: The mold, just the mold. 986 00:50:16,840 --> 00:50:19,640 Speaker 4: It's just also prove that this is the craziest place 987 00:50:19,680 --> 00:50:21,799 Speaker 4: to work, because like that doesn't even land on our 988 00:50:21,880 --> 00:50:24,839 Speaker 4: radar anymore because we've been just like banging our head 989 00:50:24,840 --> 00:50:26,200 Speaker 4: against walls for a year. 990 00:50:26,920 --> 00:50:32,239 Speaker 2: Yeah, yeah, yeah, you know, I keep going back to 991 00:50:32,280 --> 00:50:34,520 Speaker 2: the abusive relationship metaphor, but like that is one of 992 00:50:34,520 --> 00:50:36,319 Speaker 2: the big things about the best of relationships is that 993 00:50:36,560 --> 00:50:38,520 Speaker 2: because of the information control and because of the way 994 00:50:38,560 --> 00:50:41,919 Speaker 2: that your world gets condensed down into a really really tiny, 995 00:50:42,000 --> 00:50:44,879 Speaker 2: narrow set of experiences where you're isolated and you're only 996 00:50:44,920 --> 00:50:49,520 Speaker 2: interacting with like one person who was controlling everything about 997 00:50:49,560 --> 00:50:53,200 Speaker 2: your life, it becomes really difficult to see things that 998 00:50:53,239 --> 00:50:55,879 Speaker 2: are very, very obviously wrong the moment you step out 999 00:50:55,920 --> 00:50:58,839 Speaker 2: of it. Yeah, and you know, I don't know, maybe 1000 00:50:58,880 --> 00:51:02,000 Speaker 2: it turns out having apps hierarchical relationship control is an 1001 00:51:02,000 --> 00:51:06,359 Speaker 2: extremely bad way to run literally anything, especially the thing 1002 00:51:06,400 --> 00:51:08,680 Speaker 2: that your livelihood depends on that you do most of 1003 00:51:08,719 --> 00:51:09,120 Speaker 2: your time. 1004 00:51:09,320 --> 00:51:12,880 Speaker 4: Just the thought wow, well, and it also just like 1005 00:51:13,040 --> 00:51:17,520 Speaker 4: means that you are too busy to actually interface in 1006 00:51:17,600 --> 00:51:20,319 Speaker 4: any meaningful way with your workers. Like, yeah, if I 1007 00:51:20,400 --> 00:51:22,920 Speaker 4: tell you that it took me two thirds of the 1008 00:51:23,040 --> 00:51:27,360 Speaker 4: day to schedule a fifteen minute conversation with any of 1009 00:51:27,880 --> 00:51:31,320 Speaker 4: four managers who were on site to quit, I would 1010 00:51:31,320 --> 00:51:32,040 Speaker 4: not be lying. 1011 00:51:32,520 --> 00:51:33,520 Speaker 2: Jesus Christ. 1012 00:51:34,200 --> 00:51:35,200 Speaker 8: They can't even. 1013 00:51:35,040 --> 00:51:36,320 Speaker 2: Take your resig, bitch. 1014 00:51:39,600 --> 00:51:42,319 Speaker 4: They at one point tried to reschedule that conversation which 1015 00:51:42,360 --> 00:51:44,600 Speaker 4: I was attempting to have on Friday to Monday, and 1016 00:51:44,640 --> 00:51:46,239 Speaker 4: I was like, I think you want to know this. 1017 00:51:48,280 --> 00:51:51,359 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's like managers, you too are getting you too 1018 00:51:51,400 --> 00:51:54,960 Speaker 2: are getting strewed over by by understaffing. 1019 00:51:55,360 --> 00:51:59,200 Speaker 5: Oh my god, I do think that's starting to take 1020 00:51:59,200 --> 00:52:02,560 Speaker 5: a toll too on management, which is a little encouraging. 1021 00:52:02,719 --> 00:52:07,719 Speaker 3: They're losing it. Yeah, they are not feeling well and 1022 00:52:07,760 --> 00:52:10,279 Speaker 3: because like for me, I don't know, I'm not going 1023 00:52:10,360 --> 00:52:13,120 Speaker 3: to trust a boss, like I just stated, for three 1024 00:52:13,120 --> 00:52:16,720 Speaker 3: months in the nineteen ninety seven UAW strike like that's oh, 1025 00:52:16,760 --> 00:52:20,760 Speaker 3: bosses are canceled. Yeah, you know I know how that ended. 1026 00:52:21,160 --> 00:52:24,680 Speaker 5: But I remember one of the supervisors who who I've 1027 00:52:24,719 --> 00:52:27,399 Speaker 5: had one point in her like her previous career had 1028 00:52:27,400 --> 00:52:29,440 Speaker 5: been on a picket line for a very long time 1029 00:52:29,960 --> 00:52:33,399 Speaker 5: had been on strike, and she like immediately took one 1030 00:52:33,440 --> 00:52:36,600 Speaker 5: of our little sabocat reed pins put it on her backpack, 1031 00:52:36,640 --> 00:52:39,040 Speaker 5: and is otherwise like, as far as I can tell, 1032 00:52:39,120 --> 00:52:42,880 Speaker 5: generally supportive of the union, but also, man, lady, I 1033 00:52:42,880 --> 00:52:44,720 Speaker 5: wish you would make a stink. 1034 00:52:45,239 --> 00:52:47,840 Speaker 4: Because here's the thing. I think she only talks to us. 1035 00:52:47,960 --> 00:52:50,440 Speaker 4: I feel like the other managers do not speak to her. 1036 00:52:51,280 --> 00:52:52,800 Speaker 4: I yeah, am I crazy? 1037 00:52:52,840 --> 00:52:53,520 Speaker 9: Yeah? 1038 00:52:53,560 --> 00:52:56,560 Speaker 3: I could just talk about that for a very long time, 1039 00:52:57,120 --> 00:52:58,439 Speaker 3: and I don't think we have the time. 1040 00:52:58,600 --> 00:53:01,880 Speaker 2: So yeah, before we get into what can people do 1041 00:53:01,880 --> 00:53:03,320 Speaker 2: to help? Is there anything else that you want to 1042 00:53:03,360 --> 00:53:04,880 Speaker 2: make sure that you get to. 1043 00:53:05,560 --> 00:53:08,399 Speaker 4: I think the big thing that we should emphasize too 1044 00:53:08,719 --> 00:53:11,839 Speaker 4: is as much as we are complaining and frustrated about 1045 00:53:11,840 --> 00:53:16,560 Speaker 4: the process, we know that this is not impass and 1046 00:53:16,600 --> 00:53:20,080 Speaker 4: that we are so sure that like there is still 1047 00:53:20,120 --> 00:53:22,759 Speaker 4: negotiating to be done, there is still conversation to be had, 1048 00:53:22,840 --> 00:53:24,920 Speaker 4: and that like we have been emphasizing that at every 1049 00:53:24,960 --> 00:53:29,200 Speaker 4: opportunity to management as we have to. But like, just 1050 00:53:29,239 --> 00:53:33,080 Speaker 4: because we are tired and frustrated means nothing in terms 1051 00:53:33,120 --> 00:53:34,880 Speaker 4: of us giving up, because this is a fight that 1052 00:53:34,920 --> 00:53:35,759 Speaker 4: is going to continue. 1053 00:53:36,520 --> 00:53:40,600 Speaker 5: Yeah, yeah, and like to that point, then we're doing 1054 00:53:40,600 --> 00:53:44,359 Speaker 5: this because we love the stores. Like the stores were 1055 00:53:44,400 --> 00:53:47,640 Speaker 5: a really important place for me, just putting down roots 1056 00:53:47,680 --> 00:53:50,960 Speaker 5: in the neighborhood. And I think when you love something 1057 00:53:51,000 --> 00:53:53,319 Speaker 5: a lot like you got to be brave enough to 1058 00:53:53,320 --> 00:53:56,839 Speaker 5: wrestle with it. And that our unionizing is the right thing. 1059 00:53:57,480 --> 00:54:00,360 Speaker 5: It is a thing that will like hopefully create anvironment 1060 00:54:00,360 --> 00:54:04,200 Speaker 5: where the people who make that bookstore run, who sell 1061 00:54:04,239 --> 00:54:07,200 Speaker 5: the books. In the long run, it will make the 1062 00:54:07,239 --> 00:54:10,080 Speaker 5: institution healthier, I really do believe. And just that we've 1063 00:54:10,120 --> 00:54:13,360 Speaker 5: been talking about like this metaphor as the boss of 1064 00:54:13,440 --> 00:54:17,080 Speaker 5: like as an abusive partner. I think for so many 1065 00:54:17,080 --> 00:54:20,480 Speaker 5: folks when they are whether it's something like domestic violence, 1066 00:54:20,600 --> 00:54:23,239 Speaker 5: or it's in a union campaign, or you're speaking out 1067 00:54:23,239 --> 00:54:25,600 Speaker 5: against you know, your neighbors being abducted and shot and 1068 00:54:25,680 --> 00:54:28,600 Speaker 5: killed in the street, there is such an expectation that 1069 00:54:28,840 --> 00:54:31,400 Speaker 5: I have to sit by and be quiet while this happens. 1070 00:54:32,200 --> 00:54:34,200 Speaker 5: And part of that, I think, what does prevent and 1071 00:54:34,239 --> 00:54:36,920 Speaker 5: at least in my experience as someone who survived you know, 1072 00:54:37,080 --> 00:54:40,160 Speaker 5: particular kinds of violence that yeah, I wasn't sure I 1073 00:54:40,239 --> 00:54:44,040 Speaker 5: was doing the right thing, but us unionizing is absolutely 1074 00:54:44,080 --> 00:54:46,400 Speaker 5: the right thing. It is the right thing for the stores. 1075 00:54:46,440 --> 00:54:48,400 Speaker 5: It is the right thing for the community and for 1076 00:54:48,480 --> 00:54:51,400 Speaker 5: the workers. And I just as much as I'm frustrated, 1077 00:54:51,480 --> 00:54:55,080 Speaker 5: like I know myself and my fellow booksellers are doing 1078 00:54:55,080 --> 00:54:57,560 Speaker 5: this out of love, Like it is absolutely love for 1079 00:54:57,600 --> 00:54:59,279 Speaker 5: the stores in the community we serve. 1080 00:54:59,400 --> 00:55:03,440 Speaker 4: So yeah, we're never going to feel bad for continuing 1081 00:55:03,680 --> 00:55:06,040 Speaker 4: to fight for what is the right. 1082 00:55:05,920 --> 00:55:08,799 Speaker 3: Thing to do. Yeah, I'm too broke to feel bad. 1083 00:55:09,040 --> 00:55:12,000 Speaker 9: Yeah. 1084 00:55:12,360 --> 00:55:14,920 Speaker 2: Don't be poisoned by bold every time you go to 1085 00:55:14,960 --> 00:55:16,640 Speaker 2: the BOOKSTERO support the union. 1086 00:55:17,520 --> 00:55:20,239 Speaker 4: Yeah, wear your mask at seminary co op. 1087 00:55:20,400 --> 00:55:22,239 Speaker 3: Yeah, take a stab a cap pin. 1088 00:55:23,280 --> 00:55:23,520 Speaker 5: Yeah. 1089 00:55:23,840 --> 00:55:26,520 Speaker 3: Ask to talk to a manager, make it a long talk. 1090 00:55:26,680 --> 00:55:28,840 Speaker 4: Yeah, honestly, see if you can get one on the floor, 1091 00:55:29,280 --> 00:55:29,840 Speaker 4: we'll help you. 1092 00:55:30,160 --> 00:55:30,359 Speaker 6: Yeah. 1093 00:55:30,400 --> 00:55:33,040 Speaker 2: So how can people help support y'all? And do you 1094 00:55:33,160 --> 00:55:35,840 Speaker 2: have places where people can find more information about the 1095 00:55:35,840 --> 00:55:37,400 Speaker 2: campaign and follow updates? 1096 00:55:37,880 --> 00:55:41,480 Speaker 5: We have a change dot org petition that I think 1097 00:55:41,520 --> 00:55:43,640 Speaker 5: if you can link it somewhere in the description. 1098 00:55:44,480 --> 00:55:45,920 Speaker 2: Yep, Yeah, we will link in description. 1099 00:55:46,440 --> 00:55:47,000 Speaker 3: Yeah. 1100 00:55:47,080 --> 00:55:50,279 Speaker 5: So that that does ask folks to sign off and 1101 00:55:50,400 --> 00:55:53,800 Speaker 5: support the termination of Jenny Goltz, their union busting lawyer, 1102 00:55:54,120 --> 00:55:56,520 Speaker 5: as well as releasing like the full state of financial 1103 00:55:56,560 --> 00:56:00,480 Speaker 5: information too, so there's a change dot work. But you 1104 00:56:00,520 --> 00:56:04,320 Speaker 5: can also follow us on Instagram. At some Booksellers union, 1105 00:56:04,960 --> 00:56:09,040 Speaker 5: we've got the little icon, but the sabocat signed the petition. 1106 00:56:09,239 --> 00:56:11,800 Speaker 5: There are also some action items on some of the posts, 1107 00:56:11,840 --> 00:56:14,920 Speaker 5: such as emailing the board and management about the release 1108 00:56:14,920 --> 00:56:19,080 Speaker 5: of financial information and also the termination of Jenny Goltz's employment. 1109 00:56:19,320 --> 00:56:21,920 Speaker 5: You can also emailed those emails on that post about 1110 00:56:22,000 --> 00:56:24,480 Speaker 5: the mold too, if you want me to breathe at work. 1111 00:56:25,920 --> 00:56:29,799 Speaker 2: Yeah, I'm so glad about this. This is I am 1112 00:56:29,840 --> 00:56:33,120 Speaker 2: going to lead the description with you. They are poisoning 1113 00:56:33,200 --> 00:56:35,640 Speaker 2: you because like, I'm so angry about this. 1114 00:56:37,600 --> 00:56:40,160 Speaker 3: Thank you, I'm too tired to be angry about it. 1115 00:56:40,239 --> 00:56:43,960 Speaker 4: I'm so glad at this woman's French perspective has remembered 1116 00:56:44,040 --> 00:56:47,400 Speaker 4: that the mold is totally bogus, because I had forgotten. 1117 00:56:48,280 --> 00:56:52,680 Speaker 3: It's crazy. Yeah, it's so bogus. It's also like it's in. 1118 00:56:52,760 --> 00:56:55,640 Speaker 8: Such plain sight, like if you're in fifty seven Street 1119 00:56:55,640 --> 00:56:57,959 Speaker 8: Books and you look to the right of the air 1120 00:56:57,960 --> 00:57:00,919 Speaker 8: conditioning unit and room one you see that shit growing 1121 00:57:00,960 --> 00:57:04,359 Speaker 8: on the walls, and it's like, but I also feel 1122 00:57:04,400 --> 00:57:08,000 Speaker 8: like if I talk to management, which I tried about this. 1123 00:57:08,280 --> 00:57:13,840 Speaker 5: It just is about a priority. My breathing not a priority. Yeah, 1124 00:57:13,880 --> 00:57:15,560 Speaker 5: it is wild. Thank you for reminding me. 1125 00:57:15,560 --> 00:57:18,840 Speaker 2: That someone one day, when you win, someone's going to 1126 00:57:18,840 --> 00:57:21,800 Speaker 2: write a paper by necropolitics in this or something like 1127 00:57:22,160 --> 00:57:22,920 Speaker 2: good lord. 1128 00:57:22,960 --> 00:57:29,840 Speaker 3: Jeez, yeah some shit. Yeah, sign the petition, follow us 1129 00:57:29,840 --> 00:57:32,560 Speaker 3: on Instagram, help us make our ruckus. 1130 00:57:32,280 --> 00:57:35,080 Speaker 4: And come talk to us and our managers at the 1131 00:57:35,120 --> 00:57:38,680 Speaker 4: bookstore because we love to talk to people while. 1132 00:57:38,480 --> 00:57:42,400 Speaker 3: We saw them books. Yeah. Yeah, it'll take any good 1133 00:57:42,400 --> 00:57:44,480 Speaker 3: will we can get so very much. 1134 00:57:44,520 --> 00:57:47,720 Speaker 2: So hell yeah, well, thank you to both so much 1135 00:57:47,760 --> 00:57:52,360 Speaker 2: for coming on and just for doing this and I 1136 00:57:52,360 --> 00:57:54,440 Speaker 2: don't know, like a place that was really special to 1137 00:57:54,520 --> 00:57:56,960 Speaker 2: me when I was Yeah, when I was there for 1138 00:57:56,960 --> 00:57:57,479 Speaker 2: a long time. 1139 00:57:57,560 --> 00:57:59,920 Speaker 3: Thanks for your health. Thank you for following up with us. 1140 00:58:00,520 --> 00:58:03,640 Speaker 4: Of course, it's really nice to have this platform every 1141 00:58:03,640 --> 00:58:04,040 Speaker 4: so often. 1142 00:58:04,560 --> 00:58:06,720 Speaker 3: Yeah for sure. 1143 00:58:06,760 --> 00:58:09,400 Speaker 2: Oh yeah, well hopefully we will have you back on 1144 00:58:09,520 --> 00:58:10,360 Speaker 2: when you fucking win. 1145 00:58:10,680 --> 00:58:15,280 Speaker 3: And yes, very round. 1146 00:58:16,400 --> 00:58:20,360 Speaker 5: I'm buying I'm personally buying the cool Zone media team 1147 00:58:20,880 --> 00:58:23,920 Speaker 5: around at Jimmy's. When we win our contract. 1148 00:58:26,280 --> 00:58:29,080 Speaker 4: I will come back to park just for the celebration. 1149 00:58:31,320 --> 00:58:33,040 Speaker 3: Change everyone's oil while you're down. 1150 00:58:32,920 --> 00:58:36,040 Speaker 4: To yeah, yeah, yeah, No, don't take that long. 1151 00:58:36,040 --> 00:58:37,200 Speaker 3: I won't be ready for a second. 1152 00:58:40,160 --> 00:58:42,640 Speaker 2: Yeah, this has been It could happen here, and you 1153 00:58:42,800 --> 00:58:46,520 Speaker 2: too can resist both your abuser and your boss even 1154 00:58:46,520 --> 00:58:48,720 Speaker 2: wouldn't have the same person and you should. 1155 00:58:49,880 --> 00:58:55,040 Speaker 3: Hey man, get them. 1156 00:58:55,200 --> 00:58:57,680 Speaker 1: It could happen Here is a production of cool Zone Media. 1157 00:58:57,880 --> 00:59:00,920 Speaker 1: For more podcasts from cool Zone Media, visit our website 1158 00:59:01,000 --> 00:59:04,560 Speaker 1: Polsonmedia dot com, or check us out on the iHeartRadio app, 1159 00:59:04,640 --> 00:59:06,520 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you. 1160 00:59:06,520 --> 00:59:07,680 Speaker 3: Listen to podcasts. 1161 00:59:07,960 --> 00:59:09,880 Speaker 1: You can now find sources for it could Happen here, 1162 00:59:09,920 --> 00:59:12,880 Speaker 1: listed directly in episode descriptions. Thanks for listening.