The McKay's 50th anniversary road trip that challenged fans of the used book and record store to visit all five locations on July 9 − and sent some to the hospital with heat-related illness − was a reminder to union members in Knoxville of why they are bargaining a contract.
“People were unprepared for exactly what we were even going to be doing that day," Aaron Hege, a union leader who has worked at McKay's for 27 years, told Knox News. "(McKay's owners) told us very little, other than it was happening."
McKay's, which was founded in North Carolina in 1974 and has been in Knoxville since 1985, has attracted a devoted fan base with a menagerie of inexpensive used items, from anime to movies to collectibles.
The Knoxville store unionized with the overwhelming support of employees in November 2022, but organizers are still bargaining with store owners on a first contract over issues like pay and sick leave.
Fans showed up by the thousands for the road trip on the promise of $800 of store credit if they made it to all McKay's locations. Many say they got the full credit even if they didn't finish the trip, as McKay's staff members were overwhelmed by crowds standing in line for hours.
As Knoxville staff scrambled to stamp road trip passports and hand out prizes before shutting down early in response to dangerous heat at 5 p.m., union members picketed outside. Hege was not scheduled to work, and joined the educational effort.
“Some people think we were protesting, but it was an informational picket about us and our difficulties in bargaining with them because they are basically going as slow as possible," Hege said.
What the Knoxville union wants from McKay's leadership
McKay's owners Anne and Andrea Jacobson did not respond to requests for comment. Among the questions Knox News asked was how much store credit McKay's gave out during the anniversary celebration. Depending on various estimates provided by participants and employees, the company might have given away more than $4 million in credit if all participants received store credit.
For union members, it was another instance of management not including their voices in decisions about special events or workplace policies.
“We think it's a great idea to give people trade credit," Hege said. "Just, like, don't do it this way. Have other voices come in to say, stop, let's think of a different way. ... They know that one of our main objectives is to have a voice.”
Pamphlets handed out to road trippers by union members say the store started formally organizing because its workers "deserve fair wages, raises and necessary salary adjustments," as well as input on policies like discipline and sick leave.
In 2023, the union filed multiple labor charges with the National Labor Relations Board through its parent organization, Communications Workers of America. Charges like these, which say McKay's owners treated the Knoxville store differently and illegally fired a union member, are investigated by regional field examiners and attorneys.
More than half of all charges filed with the board are either dismissed or withdrawn, according to the NLRB. The McKay's Knoxville Union said in its pamphlet that the investigations can move slower if there is no contract in place.
Daniel Dassow is a growth and development reporter focused on technology and energy. Phone 423-637-0878. Email daniel.dassow@knoxnews.com.
Support strong local journalism by subscribing at knoxnews.com/subscribe.
Most Popular
Comments / 0