Ann Arbor Borders wins union contract

Workers vote to accept new Borders deal

Agreement includes new wage increases and employees forum

By Mona Rafeeq, Daily Staff Reporter
January 09, 2004


A year of hard feelings, picket lines and stalemates ended yesterday when hourly workers at the Borders Books and Music downtown store in Ann Arbor ratified a two-year agreement with the corporate office of Borders Group.

The agreement ends almost a year of negotiations between the Madison Heights chapter of the United Food and Commercial Workers, which serves as the workers’ union, and Borders Group.

“I believe this is the start of a good relationship between Borders Group and the union,” said Hal Brannan, a Borders hourly employee and one of the union representatives at the bargaining table.

The agreement raises starting wages for hourly employees by twenty-five cents. Previously, sellers earned $7.00 per hour and beginning cashiers were paid $6.75 per hour.

The contract also removes a wage cap from veteran employees. The cap on wages had halted pay raises for senior employees after they had served a certain amount of time at the bookstore. Now, wages will increase by 3 percent or more for hourly workers.

Fifteen of the 43 non-salaried employees went on strike after negotiations failed Nov. 8.

Both sides reached a tentative agreement and 20 out of 32 employees voted to ratify it.

In addition to addressing pay issues, the approved agreement also creates a management labor committee.

The committee will provide a forum for hourly workers and members of Borders to discuss ways to improve the store.

Brannan emphasized that the committee will not hear grievances, disputes or negotiations.

The contract also contains dispute procedures, including arbitration.

“Workers have a voice and I think that the Borders Group understands that,” Brannan said.

Jim Kirk, a former striker who also served on the bargaining committee, said about 95 percent of non-salaried workers voted. He said only two employees did not vote.

“We would like it to have been 100 percent but (the agreement) was still pretty strongly reported,” he said.

The voting occurred yesterday for two hours, between 8:30 and 9:30 a.m. before the store opened, and between 2:30 and 3:30 p.m. before the night shift began.

Voting took place across the street from the downtown store, in the Graduate Employees Organization building.

Brannan said other obligations restricted some union members from voting, especially students who work part-time.

Employees who came in to vote were given copies of the contract as well as a sheet with its main points. After members of the bargaining committee answered questions, the workers signed in and put their vote in the ballot box. The union supervised the voting process.