Hachette Book Group employees from multiple imprints staged a walk-out on Thursday in protest against its decision to publish Woody Allen’s upcoming memoir.
“We respect and understand the perspective of our employees who have decided to express their concern over the publication of this book. We will engage our staff in a fuller discussion about this at the earliest opportunity,” Hachette Book Group told The Hollywood Reporter.
A tweet with a photo from the walk-out stated 75 employees had left offices so far. Harper Collins Union tweeted it stands in solidarity with Hachette employees, writing “collective action is how we hold the powerful accountable.”
Grand Central Publishing, an imprint of Hachette, on Monday announced that it would release Allen’s forthcoming memoir Apropos of Nothing on April 7. Following the announcement, Ronan Farrow stated he would be ending his relationship with Hachette, after having previously worked with the publisher on his book Catch and Kill.
Farrow, Allen’s son, has repeatedly stated he believes his sister Dylan Farrow’s allegations that the filmmaker sexually abused her as a child.
“I was disappointed to learn through press reports that Hachette, my publisher, acquired Woody Allen’s memoir after other major publishers refused to do so and concealed the decision from me and its own employees while we were working on Catch and Kill — a book about how powerful men, including Woody Allen, avoid accountability for sexual abuse,” the investigative reporter tweeted Tuesday. Later in the statement, he said he told the publisher he couldn’t work with the company “in good conscience” any longer.
(Excerpt) Read more in: The Hollywood Reporter