More than 150 literary agents to stop submitting books to HarperCollins US in support of striking workers 

More than 150 literary agents have signed an open letter pledging not to submit new projects to HarperCollins US in support of workers at the company who are on strike.

Negotiations between management and the union began in December 2021 and in October 2022 union members overwhelmingly voted for another strike, following a one day walk-out in July, to take place from 10th November.

Chelsea Hensley, an associate assistant at the KT Literary Agency, organised the open letter in support of the striking workers, and the signatories include a number of other KT Literary Agency staff including founder and senior literary agent Kate Testerman, a number of Aevitas Creative Management staff, including director of foreign rights Erin Files and senior agent Jen Marshall and several people from Janklow & Nesbit, including agents Melissa Flashman and Mina Hamedi.

Agents from The Bent Agency, Trellis Literary Management, Paper Literary (including founder Catherine Cho) and Stimola Literary Studio have also signed, among others.

The letter, addressed to HarperCollins’ People Team, expresses the signatories’ support for the HCP Union and states that “we and our clients have benefitted greatly from the passion and expertise of HarperCollins’ staff, and we stand with them in their demands for a living wage, a more equitable workplace and stronger union protections.”

It continues: “Until an agreement is reached and the strike ends, we will not be submitting new projects to HarperCollins beyond those already under contract. A successful HarperCollins, and a successful publishing industry, relies on our friends on the picket line, and so we stand in solidarity with them and ask that HarperCollins return to the bargaining table and grant them a fair contract. In the meantime, we will omit HarperCollins editors from our submission lists.”

The adds that “we do not make this commitment lightly”, concluding: “Numerous books have been ushered into the world, with great success, due to the HarperCollins team, and we know there are many more to come. We hope an agreement can be swiftly reached so that we can all get back to doing the work we do best with our friends and colleagues at HarperCollins."

The full open letter can be read here. The Bookseller has contacted the publisher for comment. 

A spokesperson for the company previously said: “HarperCollins has agreed to a number of proposals that the United Auto Workers Union is seeking to include in a new contract. We are disappointed an agreement has not been reached and will continue to negotiate in good faith.”

Union Local 2110 of the UAW represents more than 250 employees in the editorial, sales, publicity, design, legal and marketing departments.