Staff at Berkeley’s Iconic Moe’s Books Win First Collective Agreement

Bastion of Radical Bookselling Since 1959 Reaches Agreement with IWW

Berkeley, CA — In a first for Berkeley’s iconic Moe’s Books, staff represented by the Industrial Workers of the World labor union have ratified a Collective Bargaining Agreement.

The new contract effectively ends at-will employment at Moe’s Books with the introduction of a grievance procedure. The new agreement also establishes a new minimum wage of $20 per hour that is subject to a 3% annual raise and, in addition to wages raises based on seniority, provides paid dental insurance and employer contributions to the 401(K). Critically, staff will now also have powerful new avenues through which to shape health and safety procedures.

Employees at Moe’s Books initially unionized in March 2021 in response to concerns over health and safety during the COVID-19 pandemic.