Full Breakdown
Hachette Book Group Employees Unionize, Form Largest Trade Publishing Union
4/28/2026, 12:48:16 AM
Unionization Milestone
On [date not given], employees of Hachette Book Group (HBG), the third-largest U.S. trade publisher, voted to join the Washington-Baltimore News Guild-CWA Local 32035, creating the Hachette Workers Coalition (HWC). A supermajority of roughly 600 staff across offices in New York, Boston, North Adams, Philadelphia, Chapel Hill, Nashville, Lebanon, Boulder, Oakland, Portland and Toronto signed union cards, establishing the largest union in trade-publishing history.
Background
The campaign builds on earlier organizing successes, including the 2020 cancellation of HBG’s Woody Allen memoir and a 2022 amendment to the company’s return-to-office policy.
Key Figures & Groups
The HWC is represented by the Washington-Baltimore News Guild, Local 32035 of the Communications Workers of America, a union that represents more than 3,000 workers in media, nonprofit and labor organizations. Prominent HWC members quoted in the campaign include Andy Wang, Designer at Workman, and Julia DeVarti, Associate Editor at Little, Brown and Company.
Why It Matters / Impact
The HWC’s formation introduces collective bargaining to a sector long dominated by non-union labor. Its demands—livable wages regardless of location, capped workload hours, a neutral grievance process, AI protections, and enforcement of DEI policies—could set industry-wide standards for compensation, remote-work flexibility, and employee governance.
Official Statements & Responses
The HWC’s release stresses a “livable wage regardless of work location” and calls for AI safeguards. The Washington-Baltimore News Guild emphasizes its mission to hold employers accountable, guaranteeing “equal pay for equal work” and a workplace voice for members. Both statements frame the unionization as a move toward greater equity, transparency and agency for HBG staff.
Verbatim Quotes
- “The HWC demands a livable wage regardless of work location, better working conditions, a cap on workload hours, a clear and neutral grievance process, AI protections, follow-through on DEI policies, and more.” — Hachette Workers Coalition statement
- “Andy Wang, Designer, Workman, says, “As employees of the Hachette Book Group, we take great pride in working with talented authors and artists to create books that spark conversations, educate, and inspire.” — Andy Wang, Designer, Workman
- “ Julia DeVarti, Associate Editor, Little, Brown and Company, notes, “Urgent action is needed to prevent further burnout, mismanagement of our careers, and losing more talented people to the passion tax imposed by management.” — Julia DeVarti, Associate Editor, Little, Brown and Company
- “Together, we hold our employers accountable and ensure that our workplaces reflect our values, which include ensuring everyone is free from harassment and retaliation, earns equal pay for equal work and has a voice in their workplace.” — Washington-Baltimore News Guild description
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
No contradictory reports or missing data were identified in the available sources.
What's Next
The union and HBG will begin collective-bargaining talks in the coming weeks, with a timeline for a first contract to be set.
