It Could Happen Here The Campaign to Bust Chicago’s Only Bookstore Union
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Oct 28, 2025 Explore the battle at Chicago's Seminary Co-op Booksellers Union against management's oppressive tactics. Guests share how union busting feels like an abusive relationship, detailing management's misallocation of funds and contrast between executive pay and workers' wages. Learn about their struggles with unsafe conditions, including mold, as well as the solidarity they've built with other unions. With direct actions and community support, the union's fight exemplifies hope and resilience in the face of adversity.
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Not-For Masking Real Financial Control
- The Seminary Co-op is a “not-for” bookstore that abandoned true cooperative ownership and operates with opaque finances.
- That structure lets management obscure spending and justify low wages while claiming scarcity.
Attrition As A Union-Busting Tactic
- Management uses attrition and understaffing to weaken worker power and increase burnout.
- They intentionally avoid hiring to shrink the bargaining unit and reduce leverage.
Sustain Pressure With Visible Direct Action
- Keep up visible direct actions like work stoppages and pickets to sustain solidarity during stalled bargaining.
- Use noisy, public tactics to remind community members the store hasn't improved wages or conditions.