NEW YORK (AP) 鈥� HarperCollins Publishers and the union representing some 250 striking employees have agreed to enter into federal mediation, the first sign of a possible settlement
鈥淲e are excited to have this opportunity to continue bargaining with HarperCollins and hope they finally are ready to put a fair offer on the table,鈥� Olga Brudastova, president of Local 2110 UAW, said in a statement Thursday. 鈥淲e have been on strike for over two months at this point. It is time for us to resolve any outstanding differences and attempt to reset our relationship.鈥�
HarperCollins, owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp, issued a statement saying it hoped that meeting with an outside mediator would provide 鈥渁 path forward.鈥� The publisher had not met with union negotiators in months.
鈥淲e entered negotiations eager to find common ground, and we have remained committed to achieving a fair and reasonable contract throughout this process,鈥� the company's statement reads in part. 鈥淲e are hopeful that a mutually agreed upon mediator can help find the solutions that have eluded us so far. HarperCollins has had a union for 80 years, with a long history of successful and fair contract negotiations. The company has the exact same goal now, and is actively working to achieve it.鈥�
As defined by the government, federal mediation is a 鈥渧oluntary process鈥� through which a 鈥渘eutral鈥� third party tries to help labor and management reach an agreement.
HarperCollins and the UAW have disagreed on union protections, workplace diversity and wages, with the UAW asking the publisher to raise the starting salary from $45,000 to $50,000 鈥� a range comparable to what other large New York publishers pay.
HarperCollins union members 鈥� who include editorial assistants, marketers and other mid- and entry-level staffers 鈥� had been working without a contract since last spring. They staged a one-day strike over the summer and walked off indefinitely on Nov. 10. Last week, more than 100 workers held a rally in front of News Corp headquarters in midtown Manhattan.
The impasse has highlighted an ongoing debate over working conditions in book publishing, which has long offered low pay to younger employees, making it hard for many to live in the New York City area. Neil Gaiman, Lauren Groff and Angie Thomas are among the many writers had said they would not send book proposals to the publisher until a settlement was reached.
HarperCollins is the only company among the so-called 鈥淏ig Five鈥� New York publishers to have a union, which last went on strike in 1974, for 2 1/2 weeks.
Hillel Italie, The Associated Press
