Union Wins at Abrams: Employees Secure Major Victory, Bargaining Begins
Employees at Abrams Books, the renowned publishing house behind beloved titles such as Diary of a Wimpy Kid and The Art of Star Wars, have voted decisively to unionize. In a major victory for organized labor in publishing, workers at the company voted 43 to 6 in favor of forming a union, according to the UAW Local 2110, which will represent them.
The election was overseen by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), though the results are not yet certified due to 14 challenged ballots that remain unopened. These ballots were set aside due to questions over voter eligibility. Their status will be determined in a later proceeding.
Despite the unresolved ballots, the outcome stands as a clear mandate from staff in support of collective bargaining. The newly formed Abrams Union includes employees across various departments, including marketing, publicity, editorial, design, sales, and IT.
A First for Abrams, Part of a Growing Trend
The successful vote marks the first time in Abrams’ 70-year history that employees have organized a union. It also signals continued momentum for unionization in publishing, following recent union victories at HarperCollins, Penguin Random House’s subsidiaries, and independent publishers like Coffee House Press and Duke University Press.
“We are thrilled to have won our union and are eager to begin the bargaining process,” the Abrams Union said in a statement. “Our goal is to build a more transparent, equitable, and sustainable workplace for all.”
The move comes amid broader industry concerns over low pay, job insecurity, and lack of transparency in hiring and promotion practices. According to a 2023 Lee & Low diversity survey, the publishing industry continues to face challenges with retention and equitable compensation, especially among junior staff and marginalized groups.
Management Responds
In a public statement following the vote, Abrams said, “Abrams will begin the process of negotiating a contract in good faith. We are now turning our attention to working through next steps. We look forward to engaging in that process confident in our collective commitment to Abrams as a company, as well as to our books and authors.”
The response signals a willingness from the company to move forward with negotiations—an essential next phase in what can often be a complex and lengthy process. Negotiating a first contract can take months or even over a year, as seen in other publishing labor movements.
A Sector Under Pressure
The union vote arrives at a time when many publishing professionals are grappling with increased workloads and stagnant wages, even as book sales have largely stabilized post-pandemic. According to the Association of American Publishers, U.S. publishing industry revenues were relatively flat in 2024, with modest gains in adult fiction and digital formats but declines in educational and academic sectors.
In recent years, many workers have turned to unionization as a way to gain greater voice and security in an industry where passion for the work is often used to justify low compensation.
What Comes Next?
The Abrams Union will now begin preparing to bargain with management over key workplace issues, likely including wages, healthcare, job protections, and workplace transparency. Bargaining committees typically survey employees to determine priorities before sitting down at the negotiating table.
If successful, Abrams will join the ranks of other publishers with unionized staff and formal contracts—setting a potential precedent for similar efforts at other midsize and independent publishers.
For now, the message from Abrams workers is clear: they’re ready to write a new chapter—this time, with a union behind them.