StarPhoenix: Saskatoon library workers approve contract after three years without

The last contract for Public library employees in Saskatoon expired December 31, 2016. This past weekend, members of Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 2669 voted overwhelmingly in favor of a new agreement, the Saskatoon Star Phoenix reports.

The new contract establishes four consecutive wage increases retroactive to 2017. Also included are increased rights for library pages, including sick days.

Though CUPE membership voted 98% in favor of the contract, the agreement reached through voluntary mediation is being viewed as only a first stap by many who still have sore feelings after administrative decisions from the past three years that included the setting aside of funds for a new downtown library rather than using those funds for wages and are top down restructuring that caused many employees to have to reapply to their jobs at lower wages.

Library union to fight replacement of staff with security cameras

The Toronto Public Library Workers Union opposes plans by management at Toronto Public Library to extend library hours by replacing library staff with security cameras.

http://www.local4948.org

http://torontoist.com/2017/04/library-union-prepares-fight-staffless-library-pilot-project/

Christmas Day 2016 — Six months on strike in Ontario

Meet the defiant library workers waging one of the region's longest strikes ever

by Anne Jarvis, Windsor Star

“…Wightman celebrated her 50th birthday on the picket line. Someone else celebrated a wedding anniversary; her husband joined her. At least one member lost her mother. Another lost an aunt.

The strike has been one of the toughest things many of these people have ever done.

Neumiller, who has two young children, pickets three times as many hours as she works — for less pay. One woman collapsed from heat stroke last summer. Now, ‘it’s pretty flippin’ cold out there,’ said Johnson. They all got glove warmers last week.”

http://windsorstar.com/news/local-news/jarvis-meet-the-defiant-library-workers-waging-one-of-the-regions-longest-strikes-ever

Need inspiration for union activism for the upcoming era of Trump and company?

Precarity Monster 02/02/2016 — give 4-minutes to watch this video from Toronto Public Library Workers, CUPE Local 4948

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vf2FTAUzK68

How Much Are Toronto’s Librarians Worth?

Union president Maureen O'Reilly says the time has come for the city to treat its library workers properly.

by Tannara Yelland  

http://torontoist.com/2016/03/library-workers-union-calls-out-precarious-work-austerity-budgets/

On strike since June 25 - Essex County Library - CUPE

The library strike in Essex County continues after contract negotiations once again fell apart. 

Officials from the Essex County Library Board issued a statement Wednesday night, saying they spent another two days talking with CUPE Local 2974, but those discussions failed...

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/windsor/library-contract-talks-1.3762731

Tentative Agreement Reached for Mississauga Library Workers

A tentative agreement has been reached between CUPE Local 1989, the union representing library workers in Mississauga, and the city. Details of the agreement won't be available until it is ratified. The workers have been on strike since July 4.

CUPE Shows Support for Striking Library Workers in Ontario

Striking library workers in Ontario received support from the provincial and national levels of the Canadian Union of Public Employees this week. CUPE officials attended a rally in support of workers at the Essex County Library system, who are members of CUPE Local 2974, as well as a solidarity barbecue for workers at Mississauga Library System, members of CUPE Local 1989. The president of CUPE Local 1989 said: 

"Knowing we have such tremendous support from our community allies and from CUPE Ontario and CUPE National is nothing short of amazing for us."

Essex library workers have been on strike since June 25. Workers from Mississauga began striking on July 4.

Strike Vote in Mississauga

Library workers in Mississauga have voted in favor of strike action and may be on the picket lines July 4. The workers, members of CUPE Local 1989, have cited low wages and the precarious nature of many library positions as issues needing to be addressed in the collective agreement currently under negotiation.

Essex County Library Workers on Strike

Workers at Essex County Library in Ontario have been on strike since Saturday, June 25. At issue for the workers are proposed changes to policies related to short-term disability and sick leave. The library system has 14 library branches and 58 workers who are represented by CUPE Local 2974. According to the union unit chair:

"Management and the county created a phantom issue to push workers out on the picket line – sick time is not a problem at our workplace and the employer and the county know this and have acknowledged it."

New Contract for Sudbury Library Workers

Library workers in Sudbury, Ontario are among the city's inside and outside workers who have ratified a new three-year contract after bringing in a provincial conciliator. The workers are represented by CUPE Local 4705.

Plans to Close 54 Newfoundland Libraries Suspended

Dale Kirby, education minister of Newfoundland and Labrador, has announced that the planned closure of 54 library branches in that province has been suspended until an external review is completed. According to Kirby, public concern over the plans to close rural library branches and lay off library employees has prompted the suspension. CUPE Local 2329, the union representing Newfoundland's public library workers, has held information pickets, ran TV ads, and encouraged members of the community to make their opposition to the planned closures heard.

Information Pickets at Newfoundland Libraries

Library workers in Newfoundland held information pickets across the province yesterday in order to make their communities aware of upcoming planned location closures. Fifty-four libraries in Newfoundland are set to close over the next two years, resulting in the loss of sixty jobs. The library workers are represented by CUPE Local 2329.

Pay Equity for New Brunswick School Library Workers

School library workers, educational assistants, administrative assistants, and intervention workers in the New Brunswick education system will be receiving pay equity increases after an evaluation found that these female-dominated positions had lower salaries in comparison to other positions. The workers, represented by CUPE Local 2745, will receive back pay for the past four years and additional increases over the next six years.

CUPE 561 Voices Concern Over New Management Structure

Members of CUPE Local 561 have voiced concerns over planned changes to the management structure of Coquitlam Public Library. The library director has argued that the addition of six new managerial positions is necessary in order to engage in more outreach and more technology-oriented services. The union is concerned with the amount of money that will be spent on these positions instead of being spent on books and other library resources.

VIDEO: CUPE Launches TV Ad Campaign in Newfoundland & Labrador

The Canadian Union of Public Employees, the union that represents library workers in Newfoundland and Labrador, will be launching a TV campaign next week to protest the recently announced decision to close 54 of the province's libraries. 

While the province maintains that the closures and resulting lay-offs are necessary due to budget cuts, one of the CUPE ads contrasts the anticipated $1 million in savings with the $1.4 million in severance the province will be paying a former CEO of Nalcor, a provincial energy corporation.

A map of the libraries that are currently scheduled to close over the next two years can be viewed here. Contact information for the province's education minister as well as a template email protesting the closures are available via the Newfoundland and Labrador Library Association website. 

Accusation of Union Busting in Newfoundland

The Canadian Union of Public Employees has accused the government of Newfoundland and Labrador of union busting in response to recently announced changes to library services. Fifty-four of the provinces' public library branches are slated to close over the next two years, resulting in sixty employees losing their jobs. The education minister recently announced that volunteers and student workers may be asked to staff school libraries during the evenings in order to provide some services to the communities left without a public library branch. Dawn Lahey, head of CUPE Local 2329, said: 

What a slap in the face to someone. Not only union busting, but it's a slap in the face to someone who's given their life to that library.

New Contract for Castlegar Library Workers

Library workers at Castlegar & District Public Library have a new four-year contract retroactive to January 2015 that includes wage increases and improved benefits. The library workers are represented by CUPE 2262.

Pay Equity Payout for Peterborough Public Library Workers

Women workers at Peterborough Public Library are set to receive a payout totaling $845,400 in a pay equity settlement after the completion of a review comparing their wages to those of men in male-dominated jobs with the city. The library workers are represented by CUPE Local 1833.

Read-In At Toronto Reference Library

Members of the Toronto Public Library Workers Union (CUPE Local 4948) held a read-in at the Toronto Reference Library earlier this week. Authors, library patrons and library supporters also participated in the event. The union is currently in negotiations with the library board. One of the most pressing issues facing workers in the Toronto library system is the high rate of precarious employees.