HarperCollins union approves contract, ends 3-month strike

Striking union members at HarperCollins have approved a tentative agreement reached last week and will return to work Tuesday, ending a walkout that lasted more than three months and became the center of an ongoing debate about salaries in the industry. More than 200 members, from editorial assistants to publicists, went on strike in November, with wages, workplace diversity and union protection among the issues. Under the new contract, annual starting pay will increase to $47,500 upon ratification, and rise to $50,000 by the beginning of 2025. Full-time employees in the union also will receive $1,500 lump sum payments.