Workers at Good Vibrations, the iconic LGBTQ-founded and women-run sexual wellness retailer, have unanimously ratified their first union contract—marking a major victory in the ongoing fight for equity and dignity in the workplace. The three-year agreement delivers significant improvements in wages, job security, and health and safety protections for nearly forty employees represented by UFCW Local 5.

Good Vibrations, owned by national retailer Barnaby, Inc. specializes in adult entertainment products and sex-related education. The workers, known as Sec Educator Sales Associates, were motivated to organize after the pandemic exacerbated workplace safety issues.

The contract victory is the culmination of an organizing campaign that began last year. Bargaining began after workers at the company’s five Bay Area stores in San Francisco, Berkeley, Oakland, Santa Cruz, and Palo Alto voted for union representation in an election conducted by the National Labor Relations Board.

This historic contract—the second of its kind in the nation at a business rooted in LGBTQ culture—was ultimately achieved through collaboration with Good Vibrations’ ownership. Despite the challenges facing brick-and-mortar retail, including an increasingly competitive direct-to-consumer online market, workers and management came together to reach a fair and forward-thinking agreement.

“This is a powerful step forward—not just for workers at Good Vibrations, but for all workers in queer-owned spaces who believe you can run a values-driven business and respect workers’ rights at the same time,” said Local 5 Strategic Campaign Director Jim Araby. “This contract proves that community-rooted businesses and unions can work together to build fairer, safer, and more sustainable workplaces.”

The new agreement includes:

• Meaningful wage increases for all employees
• Improvements in vacation and sick time
• Protections against unjust discipline or termination
• Stronger health and safety protocols to protect staff and customers alike

Workers emphasized that the contract strengthens the mission of Good Vibrations by aligning workplace practices with the store’s long-standing values of consent, equity, and community care.

“We are proud to have reached this agreement together,” said Sarah Wilder, a bargaining committee member at the Berkeley store. “We love where we work, and this contract shows that we can have both a progressive mission and a strong union.”