University of Michigan - Michiganensian Yearbook (Ann Arbor, MI)

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it union wnnct it ivnde. Otter ta iitd byte new uuonize for to P- Strike banners adorn the trash can at the corner of East Liberty and Maynard Streets outside of the Borders storefront. Borders employees and their supporters were protesting in attempt to force Borders to negotiate better wages and healthcare benefits. . Neff photo A car outside of Borders displays supportive messages as shoppers weave through the line of striking employees. The protestors and the store ' s added security successfully discouraged shoppers from entering the store when the strike began in November. . Neff photo Borders Strike 111

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A Borders ' employee joins the strike line on November 8th shouting slogans to demand higher wages from Borders, Inc. The employees at Borders made less than Ann Arbor living wage, and wanted Borders to guarantee higher pay.J. Neff photo d raw Wft, the line borders employees strike I n the face of two security guards, striking Borders employees held signs and chanted in front of the East Liberty Street Borders Books Music store beginning November 8th. The striking workers were joined in their crusade for better wages by local union supporters, sympathetic Ann Arbor residents, and many University students. Senior English major Yoni Goldstein said, I, along with many of my peers, supported the Borders strike because it emphasized the broader context of labor rights and struggles that touch our community. In the end, the Borders Workers Union earned an unprecedented success against the largest international corporation in its field, and it did this as a community. We [students] are happy to be in that community. While football coach Lloyd Carr crossed the picket lines on one of the inaugural days of the strike, many people avoided entering the Michigan-based bookstore. The striking workers saw their signs and voices as effective deterrents for customers, turning them away from the store and lowering Borders profits. In fact, during the strike, Borders corporate earnings dropped during the especially critical pre- holiday shopping season. Strikers requested that supporters avoid shopping at Borders, Waldenbooks, and Amazon.com, all affiliates of Borders, Inc. Employees were attempting to negotiate for better wages and by julia boyles benefit packages, and they formed a union in December 2002 to make their point even more apparent. To pressure union members to quit, Borders began implementing bag searches and requiring employees to show receipts for food purchases. Cutbacks in hours and positions also made Borders employees nervous about their job security. After a series of ten attempted negotiation meetings, the employees decided to take the next step and begin picketing in front of the store. The living wage in Ann Arbor was set at just over $10 without employee benefits, and at $9.45 with benefits. While the average Detroit-area Borders worker earns $8.58 per hour, new Borders employees were earning $6.50 as a starting cashier and $7.00 as a floor clerk. Employees admitted that they could not even afford to participate in the strike because of the low pa ' they were receiving. Yet, Border saw $125 million in profits in 2003 University students forme Borders Readers United in suppor of the striking workers, and raise campus awareness of Border employee strike by passing out flyer and picketing in front of the store. After many weeks c negotiation, the Borders Workers Union eventually won the strike, creating the first union contract at i a Borders nationwide. Other branch stores were inspired by this victory and inquired about the successful | movement to unionize for better |; benefits and wages. 110 Voices

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112 Special Events