Keighly News: Bradford’s (UK) libraries and museums staff could strike over cuts

Library staff in Bradford will be holding a consultative ballot for industrial action as residents face cuts to the city’s 13 libraries and four museums. 

Unite, Britain and Ireland’s largest union, announced that it will hold a consultative ballot of its approximately 50 library and museum members to see if they wish to proceed to a full-scale industrial action ballot in defense of the library and museum service.

The ballot opened on 29 July and closes on 12 August.

Unite has charted a decade of cuts to libraries and museums by the City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council – the latest £950,000 for the year starting April 2019 and a further £1,050,000 earmarked from April 2020.  

Unite regional officer Mark Martin says the cuts would erode services at the libraries and museums as volunteer labor would be relied on over professional librarians, workers would see increased duties without increased pay, and that some of the lowest paid, predominantly female, workers would be hurt the most.

Sources: 

Bradford’s libraries and museums face ‘swingeing cuts’, warns Unite. (July, 22). Retrieved from https://unitetheunion.org/news-events/news/2019/july/bradford-s-libraries-and-museums-face-swingeing-cuts-warns-unite/

Shand, A. (2019, July 23). Libraries and museums staff in Keighley and across district could strike over cuts. Keighley News. Retrieved from https://www.keighleynews.co.uk/news/17787919.libraries-museums-staff-keighley-across-district-strike-cuts/