FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 27, 2026
Contact: Chelsea Connor | cconnor@rwdsu.org | 347-866-6259
WORKERS AT THE LITERARY BOOKSTORE & CAFE VOTE OVERWHELMINGLY TO JOIN RWDSU
Workers at Popular Downtown Champaign, IL Independent Bookstore-Cafe Win NLRB Election in Effort to Secure Living Wages, Consistent Scheduling, and Workplace Safety in 1st Union Contract
(CHAMPAIGN, IL) – Today, the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) announced that workers at The Literary, a beloved independent bookstore and cafe, located at 122 N. Neil Street in downtown Champaign, Illinois have voted overwhelmingly in favor of unionization.
The victory at The Literary marks the latest chapter in a growing national wave of independent and large bookstore unionization with the RWDSU, as well as a significant win for workers in the Champaign-Urbana community.
Organizing under the banner of The Lit United, employees pointed to ongoing challenges on the shop floor: stagnant wages, skeleton staffing setups, unpredictable shift scheduling, and a lack of support from upper management. Securing union representation gives workers a formal seat at the table to lock in a contract that aligns with the business's community-focused, progressive mission.
“The future of The Literary is bright. A union means security; it means investment in such a cornerstone of the Champaign-Urbana community. I believe with collective power, The Literary will stay true to what it means to be a third space, and the workers will be treated with the same respect and care we bring to our community every day,” said Cale Hartman (they/them), a Bookseller at The Literary.
“I think unionizing The Lit will make for a happier and healthier workplace and ultimately help the business flourish. Consistent, equitable working conditions will boost our job satisfaction, work performance, and staff retention. My hope is that The Lit will be able to provide sustainable jobs for its current and future employees for years to come,” said Jordan Kelsey (she/her), a Cafe Manager at The Literary.
“The workers at The Literary have shown remarkable determination throughout this campaign to make their workplace a better place for everyone who walks through its doors. What happened in Champaign-Urbana is part of a much broader movement. Retail, food service, and bookstore workers nationwide are declaring one shop at a time, and in one voice, that they deserve dignity, fair pay, and a real say in their daily working conditions. We are thrilled to welcome the staff of The Literary into the RWDSU, and we will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with them as they fight for the strong contract they need,” said Stuart Appelbaum, President of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU).
The election was conducted via an in-person secret ballot vote on-site at the store on the morning of Thursday, August 27, 2026, and was administered by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). The RWDSU will now represent workers in the bargaining unit, which include full-time, regular part-time employees in contract negotiations, which will commence swiftly.
The unionization of The Literary builds on momentum across the bookselling and retail industries. Over the past few years, workers at independent bookstores, and major retailers nationwide, including Barnes & Noble stores in Illinois, across multiple states and its NYC flagship, have voted to unionize to address substandard wages, scheduling instability, and workplace safety. The RWDSU also represents bookstore workers at prominent independent institutions such as McNally Jackson, Greenlight Bookstore, and Book Culture among others.
# # #
The Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union (RWDSU) represents 100,000 members throughout the United States, including 45,000 in New York State. The RWDSU is affiliated with the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW). For more information, please visit our website at www.rwdsu.org, Facebook:/RWDSU.UFCW Twitter:@RWDSU.