In the esteemed city of Montreal, celebrated for its poutine, ice hockey and now, graphic novel publishers unionizing, an intriguing development unfolds. Drawn & Quarterly, a renowned literary graphic novel publisher, had its employees officially recognized as a union by Quebec’s Administrative Labor Tribunal, supported by Canada’s Fédération du Commerce of the Confédération des Syndicats Nationaux.”We are over the moon about welcoming the Drawn & Quarterly crew to our ranks,” declared Serge Monette, a giddy vice-president at the Fédération du commerce. He was quick to wax eloquent about them, adding, “These dedicated minds play a crucial role in what makes Drawn & Quarterly the vital institutions they are.”

A handful of fifteen workers comprise D&Q’s workforce, covering both the publishing house and two bookstores. It’s notable that, unlike its Southern neighbor, the United States, Quebec’s labor board, the Tribunal Administratif du Travail, gives an automatic thumbs-up to any union that boasts the majority of its workers’ sign union cards. A testament to the power of majority, one could say.

According to a press release by the tireless union, they aspire to cultivate open and balanced communication lines between employees and employers, and strive for a greater consultative role in their employment conditions. They marveled at their employer’s commitment to going beyond industry standards when it comes to artist compensation. Indeed, the cherry on top, they admired the freedom D&Q provides for employees to contribute meaningfully to the selection of titles published and stocked.

Working alongside the publishing team and D&Q authors is nothing short of a joy ride, as stated by an assistant from the publishing team who preferred to stay anonymous. But as they poignantly pointed out, “We often clock in long shifts and remain engaged with the comics industry beyond our working hours, powered by our deep-seated passion for delivering exceptional comics to readers without any extra pay. Yet despite abundant opportunities to shoulder more responsibilities and acquire new skills, progression for assistants remains elusive. It’s challenging to conceive a future if the dialogues about the direction and potential of our learned skills aren’t forthcoming.”

Sadly, Drawn & Quarterly appears to have taken a vow of silence on the matter, failing to respond before the media’s relentless ticking clocks struck press time.

Drawn & Quarterly’s genesis was in 1990 in Montreal, blooming over the past thirty years into one of North America’s most respected literary graphic novel publishers. Their roster boasts such towering creators as Lynda Barry, Michael DeForge, the late manga artist Yoshihiro Tatsumi, Adrian Tomine, and Chris Ware. The publication further extends over two bookstores, Librairie Drawn & Quarterly and La Petite Librairie D&Q, adding to Montreal’s vibrant cultural landscape. Since 2015, it has been diligently guided by publisher Peggy Burns and her spouse, executive editor Tom Devlin, following the founder Chris Oliveros’s resolve to bow out and concentrate on his creative undertakings as a cartoonist.

I promise to keep a hawk’s eye on this unfolding scenario and update you with any noteworthy details as soon as someone spills the beans.