To: Copperfield’s Books Petaluma Union and Staff and the Community 

From: Copperfield’s Books Petaluma Management 

Re: Used Book Department Closure and Bargaining Update 

Date: August 13, 2025 

On June 26^th, Copperfield’s Books Petaluma Management informed its staff, their labor union, the Industrial Workers of the World (‘IWW” or “Union”) and the public of its decision to close the Petaluma Used Book Department by around the end of September. This decision was not made suddenly. It was made with much concern regarding the impact on Copperfield’s Books Petaluma employees and our community. 

We gave the Union more than three (3) months of advance notice, satisfying every imaginable notification requirement. We knew the decision would be unpopular and that our obligation to bargain over the effects of the decision would take time. The corresponding reduction of the store’s footprint, and the necessary tenant improvements will likewise take time. While layoffs are anticipated, they will be comparatively minimal and subject to certain terms of our employees’ Union contract. 

Since 2021, Petaluma’s Used Book Department sales have decreased by about 24% and it has not been profitable since 2022. Over this time, our used book buyers have continued to purchase used books, contributing to a store liability of roughly $80,000 in store credit that remains to be redeemed by our customers. This liability is almost equal to the entire wholesale cost/value of the Petaluma used book inventory. These are only two of the several metrics that we have shared with the Copperfield’s Books Petaluma Union which show why the Used Book Department has not been sustainable or profitable for years and why ownership made the decision to close the department. 

Copperfield’s Books Petaluma further informed its staff, their labor union, and the public that Copperfield’s Books Petaluma would cease buying, trading or accepting any additional used book inventory to about July 21, 2025. To be clear, Copperfield’s Books Petaluma is no longer buying used books for cash, trade or store credit. Continuing to do so under the existing fiscal circumstances makes no sense to us. We will, however, continue to sell the existing inventory on hand between now and whenever the final date of the department closure. 

On July 24 and 31, 2025 the Copperfield’s Books management team met formally with the IWW’s bargaining committee to discuss in good faith the impact and effects of the planned department closure. On July 24^th, the Union mainly sought clarification about its many information requests. Copperfield’s Books Petaluma management had previously provided the Union with documentation showing the ongoing loss of sales and revenue both in the new and used books operation. 

On July 31^st the Copperfield’s Petaluma Union asked to further postpone the closure beyond the three (3) months of notice already given to the Union and Petaluma staff. During the meeting we let the Union’s committee know that Copperfield’s Books Petaluma management will be considering this and other options for the unsold used book inventory and fixtures ranging from a sale, donation, liquidation, or other type of gift to others in the Petaluma community who would seek to open a used bookstore in the vicinity. 

We also discussed with the IWW team, that over seven (7) weeks since we made the announcement, Copperfield’s Books management and ownership have been attacked via e-mail and on social media by those who we think would otherwise be supporting Copperfield’s in the Petaluma community. We believe they are attempting to convince Copperfield’s Books Petaluma management and ownership to change course on the closure of the used book department, and unfortunately, some people are making attacks that are both deeply personal as well as unfounded. While those of us who have been targeted are upset and offended by the personal nature of the missives, we understand the impact of the loss of the used book department and the change to the footprint of the bookstore. 

We want to respond directly to the Copperfield’s Petaluma Union bargaining team and the Petaluma community, that many of the communications are accusing Copperfield’s Books Petaluma management and ownership, that the decision to close the Used Book Department is an attempt to ‘bust’ the Union. 

There is unequivocally no truth to this accusation. 

The Copperfield’s Petaluma Books Union has been in existence for over two (2) years, and we have agreed on a labor contract that spans 2024 to 2027, that will be continued to be honored by both parties. Because of this legally binding contract, Copperfield’s Books Petaluma management and ownership asked the Union to consider issuing a joint press release to put the rumored union busting accusation to rest, but that request was denied by the Union. We feel this refusal is both unconscionable and disrespectful to the Petaluma community, who deserve to know the truth about the relationship that exists between management/ownership and the Union. 

This same labor contract preserves Copperfield’s Books Petaluma management and ownership’s right to manage the business and make these difficult decisions in the interest of the sustainability of the Petaluma store, something that we can hopefully all agree on. 

We will endeavor to keep you informed of developments in the process, as we did during the negotiation of our first collective bargaining agreement with IWW, concluded in 2024. 

To: All Copperfield's Books Petaluma Staff, Concerned Citizens, and Valued Customers and Supporters of Copperfield's Books Petaluma 

From: Copperfield's Books Petaluma Management 

Date: August 15, 2024 

Subject: Bargaining Update #2 – For the Record 

The parties have been in active collective bargaining since the Summer of 2023, commencing on June 29, 2023.¹ Altogether Copperfield’s Books Petaluma and IWW have reached 25 tentative agreements (TAs), including agreement on bargaining ground rules. The remaining open issues discussed at the bargaining table as recently as August 14, 2024, include the following: Wages; Vacation / Sick Leave (time off); and Benefits. Duration (the chronological length of the labor new labor contract) is also still open.² 

In bargaining over the last 14 months, the parties’ have reached numerous tentative agreements ("TAs"), including those on the following topics: 

• Preamble - TA 7/11/23; 
• Recognition - TA 7/11/23; 
• Changes to the Status Quo - TA 7/11/23; 
• Union Security and Membership - TA 7/11/23; 
• Information Requests and Personnel Files - TA 7/11/23; 
• Dignity and Respect - TA 7/11/23; 
• Management Rights - TA 8/10/23; 
• Freedom from Harassment and Discrimination - TA 9/14/23; 
• Workplace Safety - TA 9/14/23; 
• Workplace Violence - TA 9/14/23; 
• General Provisions - TA 9/14/23; 
• Promulgation of Work Rules - TA 9/14/23; 
• Job Postings and Petaluma Bargaining Unit Hiring - TA 9/14/23;³ 
• Shop Steward Rights – TA 11/29/23; 
• Discipline and Discharge – TA 11/29/23; 
• Grievance Procedure – TA 11/29/23; 
• Non-arbitral Respect Grievances – TA 11/29/23; 
• Layoffs, Probation, and Seniority – TA 1/24/2024; 
• Savings, No Derogations, Integration – TA 3/14/2024; 
• Meals and Breaks – TA 3/28/2024; 
• Leaves of Absence – TA 4/30/2024; 
• Holidays – TA 6/20/2024; 
• Hours of Work, Overtime, and Scheduling – TA 7/9/2024; and 
• Travel and Expense Reimbursement – TA 8/14/2024. 

Overall, the tone of the process continues to be very positive, notwithstanding social media posts to the contrary. The Copperfield’s Books Petaluma management team considers such posts to be controversial, exaggerated, and in some respects completely false. In spite of such communications, in truth, we are still making steady, good faith progress toward our first collective bargaining agreement for the workers at the Petaluma store. The above list of TAs gives credence to this statement. As of this update, the draft collective bargaining agreement is nearly done, but “bread and butter” issues remain. These are customarily agreed upon toward the end of the traditional bargaining process. 

If you are in the bargaining unit and otherwise not a part of Copperfield's Books Petaluma management, you may direct your questions and comments to the Copperfield's Books Petaluma Union (copperfieldsbooksunion@gmail.com). Otherwise, you may also contact the Copperfield's Books Petaluma Management bargaining committee through RM Horrell (rhorrell@copperbook.com).⁴

Thanks for your ongoing interest in this process and the success Copperfield’s Books Petaluma, one of the remaining independent bookstores in America! 

Cc: IWW and Management Bargaining Committees 

¹ On Friday April 28, 2023, the National Labor Relations Board ("NLRB") conducted a secret ballot election among Copperfield's Books Petaluma non-management and non-supervisory employees in which a majority voted to recognize the Industrial Workers of the World ("IWW") as their exclusive representative for purposes of collective bargaining. On May 11, 2023, the NLRB certified the election results in favor of IWW. Formal labor negotiations began on June 29, 2023, after the parties' initial "meet and greet" on June 15th. 

² The CBP bargaining team also recently dropped its proposal for a traditional “no strike / no lock out” as well as its proposed alternative in the form of “mediation and fact finding.” CBP yielded on this topic due to the IWW’s insistence that it cannot oblige the store due to IWW’s constitution and bylaws that prohibit the Union leadership from entering into such contractual restrictions. For more information on this topic, one can simply do a search on “no strike no lock out” provisions in light of the U. S. Supreme Court’s rulings commonly known in the field as the “Steel Workers Trilogy.” 

³ The parties' collective bargaining Ground Rules were also signed off as of 9/14/2023. 

⁴ Because we are in active labor negotiations, our management team may not be able to answer all of your questions with specific details due to Labor Board rules, regulations, and case law that generally prevent us from negotiating away from the bargaining table; that is, we cannot negotiate with persons other than authorized members of IWW’s bargaining committee or otherwise bypass the IWW team.

On Friday, April 28, 2023, we had an election among our non-management Petaluma store employees conducted by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Our Petaluma store employees have voted for representation by the Industrial Workers of the World, San Francisco Bay Area Branch. We are glad this process is over and can now try and heal the rifts that were created, that have affected not only the employees, but our loyal customers as well.
 
We feel there has been a lot of misinformation posted on social media in regards to the business practices of Copperfield's Books. We have also had employees, supportive of the union efforts, leaving stickers in employee areas of the store which say “Your Boss Is Not your Friend,” and “One Union, One Enemy.” These actions have been such a point of sadness for our company, since we are a company that really appreciates teamwork, and this has certainly deeply hurt our team.
 
So, where do we go from here? Our hope is that now we can move past this and begin negotiation in good faith and have an opportunity to tell our side of our collective story.
 
Regardless of the outcome of this election our efforts will continue to support, encourage, and enhance the experience of all of our employees throughout the company. Today’s result only serves as a reminder that there is still work to be done for the betterment of all.
 
 
 
Paul Jaffe, President
 
Copperfield's Books Inc.