HarperCollins US reaches ‘tentative’ agreement with unionised employees, sales down in Q2

HarperCollins US has reached a tentative agreement with its employee union after three months of negotiations, reports Publishers Weekly.

UAW Local 2110, which represents more than 250 HarperCollins employees in the design, editorial, marketing, publicity and sales departments, said the agreement includes increases to minimum salaries and a one-time, US$1500 (A$2150) lump sum bonus to be paid to employees from the union’s bargaining unit once the contract is ratified.

HarperCollins and the union agreed to have an independent mediator take over labour negotiations in late January. Unionised staff went on strike on 7 November last year after being unable to reach a contract with the publisher.

Meanwhile, HarperCollins parent company News Corp’s latest quarterly earnings showed the publisher’s global revenue fell 14% in the three months to 31 December 2022. The decline was due primarily to lower print and digital book sales in the US, which was attributed to slowing consumer demand for books, ‘difficult comparisons’ to a strong frontlist a year ago, and some logistical constraints at Amazon. News Corp CEO Robert Thomson also announced a 5% reduction in the company’s headcount, which comes after HarperCollins US announced its plan to cut 5% of its employees by 30 June earlier this month.

Category: International news