Goodbye 2016, Hello 2017 ULW recommends

Happy New Year to union activists from Union Library Worker!  Recommended acquisition for 2017 for all library collections the 2nd edition of Troublemaker's Handbook from the folks at Labor Notes (you ought to subscribe to it as well).   Support and inspire the social/workplace/environmental justice activists in your community!

http://www.labornotes.org/store/troublemakers-handbook-2

More job actions in BC

Workers at the Okanagan Regional Library are stepping up their campaign of job actions.  They have recently announced that they will not be administering the pull list, meaning that when patrons put an item on hold it will not be pulled and sent between branches.  This marks an escalation in tactics that will have a greater effect on library users.  To date, library workers have tried to minimize the impact of their actions on library users in their efforts to bring management to the table.  Perhaps a full-scale strike is around the corner now that this step has been taken.

Book deliveries halted

CUPE workers with the Okanagan Regional Library (BC) will not be delivering books between branches for the rest of this week.  The development is the latest job action taken by the ORL workers in their on-going dispute with library management over an expired collective agreement.  This is the second time that workers have ceased deliveries in their effort to keep the library open while taking job actions.  Additionally, the workers have not been collecting late fees and will cease collecting fees for facilitiy rentals, photocopying, and promotional material such as t-shirts.

Update from Okanagan Regional Library

Job actions at Okanagan Regional Library (BC) are on-going.  In the latest development, library delivery drivers (represented by CUPE) will not be making the usual rounds from now until Saturday.  This means that delivery of all library material between branches will be temporaribly suspended.

The action is the result of an on-going dispute related to stalled contract negotiations.  Although union members voted 96% in favor of a strike in April, the union has thus far tried to minimize any damage to public service.

Regina library workers refuse late fees

As part of on-going job action at Regina Public Library, CUPE workers have not been collecting late fees from library users in an effort to avoid hurting the public in their fight against management.  From the article:

"Our thoughts are that we don't want to negatively affect our patrons, but we still want to send the message that we are continuing to do job action to try and get the library board back to the table."

Regina Public Library workers walk off the job

Regina Public Library workers represented by CUPE walked off the job yesterday afternoon, temporarily closing several branches of the library system.  While the workers are in a strike position, this was not the start of an indefinite strike but rather a first job action to flex their collective muscle in the face of intransigent city negotiators.  The workers returned to work this morning but this will likely not be the end of the stand-off.

Limited job action at the Okanagan Regional Library

Workers at 16 branches of the Okanagan Regional Library (BC) took limited job action recently, with further actions on the way.  The library system remains open but workers are not collecting fines nor working overtime.

"We want to continue to keep libraries running with as few interruptions as possible," says CUPE 1123 president Rose Jurkic. "We remain extremely committed to our patrons and we value the support that we have been receiving from communities where our members work."

The workers have been without a contract since December, 2010.

Library shut-down in England

Librarians in Winsford, County Cheshire (England), walked off the job on Saturday as part of on-going industrial action against town council's moves to alter their collective agreement.  Details are sketchy about the changes, but more information should be forth-coming.