Sound-off: Harper Collins Union Strike

Writers and Readers, if you are not on #BookTok…what are you doing?!

Being on Tiktok in the book world algorithm has taught me so much. Not only have I connected with people in the industry, but I am also learning a lot and staying up on current events. Did you know the Harper Collins Union has been on strike for over a month? Me neither!

Harper Collins is one of the Big Five. (link past article). A mutual of mine, SometimesRobinReads, (please check her out!), mentioned the strike and I went into a deep dive to see what was going on. 

According to this article, the main issue is obtaining a livable wage in NYC. Most of us are aware that the cost of living there is outrageous, this doesn’t seem like a horrible ask. Especially since HCP is part of the Big Five…they have the coins. According to Google, HCP made over 1 billion in revenue in 2021. They are home to dozens of major imprints and very popular books, including The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas which was developed into a movie. Also includes Bible Gateway, the largest Christian imprint.

With the discourse between traditional publishers and self-publishers, it is interesting to see how these employees feel undervalued in their roles. Oftentimes, self-published authors or ones who belong to small or indie presses feel slighted in the marketing and promo department. I would assume that major publishers had the budget to pay their staff competitive wages.

How do you feel about the strike? Are you supportive of the union or should they get back to work?