Half Price Books Westport ratifies union contract

Half Price Books in Westport // Photo by Samantha Russell

Two years ago, workers at Half Price Books in Westport won their vote to unionize. Only now have contract negotiations with the corporation been reached.

William Theberge has been at the Westport location four years this month. He likes it here. “We get to see our neighbors, weekly, monthly, for years and years. We are guaranteeing that the cool stuff people around us are reading is getting circulated to the other cool people around us.”

Co-worker Jonathan Hogue has been at the Westport location 10 years in May. “When I started working there, it was not uncommon for people to be with the company for ten years. That’s very different now — turnover is crazy.”

Hogue cites a potential reason being undervaluation of the worker. Pay has not kept up with inflation. 10 years ago, Westport’s starting hourly was $14, which was 83% more than KCMO’s 2016 $7.65 minimum wage. People could afford to stay in a full-time position. Comparatively, new workers start off at $16, at 7% more than the city’s current $15 minimum wage.

Less staff were hired back after Covid. Then came a breast cancer diagnosis for Hogue’s store manager in 2022. She used the Family and Medical Leave Act during the first year, which provides employees with up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave for family and medical reasons. Benefits like health care remain intact. Year two she was in remission, but had yet to reach full recovery. The company let her go.

“That was a big catalyst for us unionizing,” says Hogue. “Realizing that they can just do that to people.”

Vince Medellin, who’s no longer with the company, initiated the union conversation with co-workers following the manager’s firing. When Medellin left, Hogue took over his seat during negotiations, citing Medellin’s sustained effort in the cause.

The world of Personal Finance, for those humble enough to call themselves a Dummie // Photo by Samantha Russell

The Metro Unites
A stone’s throw away, Overland Park and Olathe stores wanted in on the conversation. Luke Lambeth spearheads the union effort at Half Price Books in Overland Park. He’s been with the company four years in March.

Lambeth connected with Westport workers during the Summer of 2022 when Overland Park’s Half Price Books location moved from Metcalf to Nall. During that time, booksellers were expected to perform extended manual labor reportedly including poor working conditions like leaks, mold, and lack of AC.

“That experience really united the workforce at Overland Park,” says Lambeth.

Union talk spanned stores and united workers across Half Price Books locations. UCFW—United Food and Commercial Workers International Union—was contacted to establish union elections. Mediated by a labor board representative, each store took to a union vote, majority needed to clench. All three metro stores won their elections in 2023, Westport and OP’s unanimous. 

“The unanimous part of it was surprising to the company,” says Lambeth. “It really communicated that everybody had an issue.”

Voting to unionize was only the first step. The conversation then focused on drafting a contract and finalizing an agreement with the corporation.

Romances courting the shelves // Photo by Samantha Russell

It’s Up to Brave Hearts

Westport’s contract negotiation looked like this: Hogue and another co-worker would go in once or twice a month on their days off to Ogletree Deakins for six-to-seven hour stretches. The corporation sat in one room and they in another. Direct conversation was had occasionally but they mostly worked through a go-between union representative. This was the process for two years, though lawyers representing Half Price Books would cite 16 months.

Unionizers encountered roadblocks along the way. The corporation first claimed illegitimacy of OP’s union election and attempted to contest it with the labor board. Menial yearly raises were given to perceived labor leaders—Lambeth cites his 1%, 11-cent raise. The corporation engaged separate lawyers for each location, despite workers’ preference for a single metro-wide contract.

So why stick it out? Hogue and Lambeth say there was a certain amount of stubbornness, but also, says Lambeth, “I really believe in what we’re doing. The more places that organize, the better for our community as a whole.”

“It is a seat at the table, making sure we can hold the company as mutually accountable as they claim we can” says Theberge. “A lot of that is making sure we’re holding them to their own mission statement and standard of treatment of their employees. We all came out stronger of character for it, certainly.”

The ratified contract went into effect with the pay period on December 29, 2025. It secures a grievance procedure and additional benefits including increased sick days and an equitable raise, among qualifiers ensuring fair labor practices.

Olathe’s union has since been decertified. There was enough employee turnover during contract negotiations that when the corporation called for an election, the union was found without majority vote.

Westport is the first Half Price Books location in MO and the KC metro area to ratify their contract. Overland Park looks to follow.

Hogue says, “I really love working at Half Price Books. I like the idea of this company. A big part of unionizing is giving us ability to shape the future of the company.” He concludes, “Olathe, we haven’t forgotten about you. Independence is next.”