It pays to form a union! Guitar Center workers at four stores have unanimously ratified their first contract. The RWDSU, which represents retail workers in a variety of industries across the nation, clinched contracts for over 100 of Guitar Center’s employees who work in New York, Chicago, Las Vegas and Danvers, Mass. Under the new contract, workers will earn guaranteed base wage increases over three years as well as  access to union-provided health insurance.

“We are excited to finally have an amazing union contract,” said Allison Sorrell, a sales associate at the Chicago store. She added, “This process has restored faith in our company. Without the hours of work our coworkers put into building this contract over the years this would not have been possible.”

Harold Davis, an associate at the Manhattan store, agreed. “I’m glad that we have a solidified contract,” Davis said. “Getting here has been years in the making. I appreciate all of the RWDSU’s efforts. Having affordable healthcare is a positive.”

Jonathon Feinberg, a worker at the Danvers store, said, “The key stipulations of the contract will set a new tone in the store. I urge the public to shop at our union stores in these four major cities and support good union jobs across our country.”

Cody Bergstrom, a worker at the Las Vegas store, said, “I love this job and it has provided me the supplemental income to pursue my career as a musician. Thanks to our work with the RWDSU and the company we have made these jobs even better. I look forward to further pursuing my musical aspirations.”

In a statement, Stuart Appelbaum, president of the RWDSU, said “This contract wrote the songbook for workers in the retail music industry. Workers from all four stores fought to ensure the voices of their over 100 co-workers were heard – and the company listened. I am extremely proud of the negotiations team involved in this first contract and the provisions they reached in unison.”