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Publisher Seven Seas Voluntarily Recognizes UW7S Workers Union (Updated)

The United Workers of Seven Seas (UW7S), a union for employees of manga and light novel publisher Seven Seas Entertainment, announced on Friday on Twitter that Seven Seas has agreed to voluntarily recognize UW7S as a union based on a majority card check. This eliminates the need for a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) conducted election.

UW7S' full statement reads:

UW7S is happy to announce that Seven Seas has agreed to voluntarily recognize us as the union based on a majority card check. This decision by Seven Seas eliminates the need for an NLRB conducted election and will pave the way for a more expedited path to bargaining a first contract. At a time when many employers continue to fight the unionization of their employees, we appreciate that Seven Seas decided to respect the voices of the majority of staff and recognize us. We look forward to developing a mutually beneficial relationship and reaching a collective bargaining agreement in the near future.

On May 26, UW7S stated on Twitter that Seven Seas had informed the union that the company would not voluntarily recognize the union. UW7S said as a result the matter will go to an election with the NLRB. UW7S added on Twitter on May 28 that 32 out of 41 eligible workers at the company were in favor of the union.

Seven Seas released the following statement on May 28:

We appreciate having the opportunity to give our point of view regarding the unionization effort at Seven Seas Entertainment.

We respect the rights of our employees to choose or not choose union representation. While we have been requested by a number of employees to voluntarily recognize the [Communications Workers of America] as their legal representative—without [a National Labor Relations Board] conducted election—we have decided to respect the right of all eligible employees to vote on this issue. Since unionization would affect more members of staff than those who have already come forward, an election will ensure that everyone has the opportunity to learn about their rights and the details of this process before they cast their vote through a governed process.

We have notified the [National Labor Relations Board] that we are prepared to move forward with an election among an appropriate unit of employees, and we will, of course, abide by the outcome of the election.

UW7S is working closely with the Communications Workers of America (CWA). The group seeks to negotiate better working conditions for Seven Seas employees and freelancers.

According to the union, the publisher has grown from 10 employees in 2018 to over 40 staff members in 2022. The union's new Twitter account and website state that Seven Seas' workers are "overworked, underpaid, and do not receive benefits typical of the publishing industry." The group is "demanding equitable pay, healthcare and PTO, reasonable workloads, fair deadlines, and a well-organized digital office." A full list of the organization's goals is available on its website.

Update: Seven Seas posted a statement on Twitter on Saturday regarding its decision to recognize the union.

At the end of May, Seven Seas was notified that a union had filed an election petition to represent our employees. At the time, the company decided to proceed to an election governed by the National Relations Labor Board in order to allow such an important decision to get its full democratic process. The company is responsible for protecting the rights of all employees, and was uncomfortable waiving such a fundamental right to vote.

However, this has been a challenging time for staff at every level. Above all, the well-being and safety of our employees is of utmost importance to us. In order to protect everyone involved, and to work together in good faith for the sake of our staff, creators, partners and fans, Seven Seas has now decided to waive the right to an election in favor of voluntary recognition of the union.

We look forward to working together with the newly unionized UW7S and the rest of our global staff as we sail towards an even brighter future.

Source: United Workers of Seven Seas' Twitter account