UNISON: UK libraries should stay closed to protect library workers and families

 The United Kingdom's largest union, UNISON, has called for libraries to completely close during the UK's third lock down amid a new highly contagious strain of the COVID-19 virus.

The government's stated guidelines ask for libraries to continue services such as IT access and curbside service. Facing a growing health crisis UNISON views even these services as too dangerous for library workers, who will have to provide these services, and their families

Compounding the problem for library workers, the union argues, is the fact that many library workers are already isolating and more are to be deployed for food delivery and other services leaving already struggling libraries under staffed.

Library Worklife: NLRB moves to strip grad students of union rights

Library Worklife reports that, towards the end of September, the National Labor Relations Board proposed a rule change that would upend the 2016 decision that gave graduate students at private univsersities the right to unionize.

The rule is currently open for public comment through November 22nd. Such a move would dramatically upend years of victories and organizing by graduate students across the United States, often in the face of constant turn over and open hostility from administrations.

The rule would not prohibit private colleges from willingly recognizing student unions and some states may take action to protect the student unions. Past opposition from private schools suggests that few would recognize the unions if such an action was on a voluntary bases (under current rules some schools have ignored unions and refused to meet for negotiations).