The City Without Libraries

The library lockout has begun and the capital of British Columbia has no public libraries today and for the forseeable future. Roughly 300 staff are now out of work, and the patrons of one of the most heavily-used library systems in Canada are now without access to the library materials they have paid for. The tax-paying and voting public seems to be solidly behind the librarians, but our elected representatives are hell-bent on reneging on the 1996 promise of pay equity.

For too long the municipalities have benefited financially from the legacy of discrimination against workers in this female-dominated field. A joint union-management study into pay equity found gaps that, at today's pay rates, range from nearly $3 an hour to nearly $10 an hour between library staff and other civic workers. This is simply unacceptable, especially in a country where equal the treatment of men and women is our strongest right. (Unlike other Charter rights, it cannot be legislated away using the Section 33 "notwithstanding clause"—that tells you how important it is to Canadians.) It's quite sad that in 2008 women workers still have to fight for pay equity, especially in one of the most progressive parts of the country.

If you think librarians deserve pay equity, do take a moment to send a message to the City of Victoria (which has the most representatives on the library board). Comments from outside the area will have extra weight in our tourism-sensitive region. Our local politicians should know that they are being watched. Thank you.

Lockout closes capital libraries

Pay Equity for Library Workers

Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 410

Comments

[turtlebella]

You know, when you posted about this before I hadn't considered the mostly female workforce angle. Makes it all even worse.

I'm happy to send off a message, if you really think some random person from the USA will help????

[Sylvia]

Absolutely! Tourism is our biggest industry, and people here care very much what Americans think of us.

[Andrew]

We do? :P Just kidding.

I sent my email off a few days ago. This is one of the few times where I'm solidly on one side of the argument (I'm pro librarian).

The "business" comment made a few days ago by the other side REALLY got my goat.

[Wirelizard]

Thanks for the support, and for re-using my 'Dark Ages' image from Flickr - it's CC-BY for exactly the reason you're using it, to get it (and support for CUPE 410's issues) out there!

A locked-out GVPL worker.

[Gene]

Hi, Sylvia. I'm behind this worthy cause. But if your elected officials can ignore taxpayers, I'm afraid that they can ignore outsiders more readily.

Your local politicians also know that people have short memory. We outsiders have shorter memory because we're not in the least affected by it. And they know it too. So, what do you do? All taxpayers should come together in one place and get the message across forcibly - I'm not referring to physical force here - in a sustained but not sporadic manner; let them know that it is not just from a small number of disgruntled library goers.

A smart and determined organizer is in order here. Well, I sometimes get easily carried away over matters like this, the struggle between the power and the powerless. But that's the way I see it in brief, so I'll just stop here. Good luck!

[Sylvia]

Andrew: Well, the people running the tourist traps and selling trinkets on Government Street do. ;)

Thanks for visiting, Wirelizard. Stay strong!

Gene: You're right, public support is crucial here. There was a public rally on Friday, and I'm sure there will be more to come.

[Danielle]

How on earth can they get away with that? Have they not an ounce of shame?

[Sylvia]

It sure doesn't look like it.

[Stefanie]

I sent a message and added some extra wording of my own about how libraries and librarians are essential to a democracy :) The ALA has been covering the story in their weekly e-newsletters. I'm sure there are lots of US librarians sending their support.

[Sylvia]

Great! And I'm glad to hear this is getting attention down South.

[David Wright]

A Salute to our brothers and sisters to the North! As a public librarian in Seattle, I can attest that the Pacific Northwest in general, or Cascadia anway, has fairly good pay equity and librarian wages compared to the rest of the country. A pity you all got left behind. The librarians in Seattle went through the same process back in the 80s, and the King County librarians more recently. We wish you luck - hang in there.

[Sylvia]

Hi David. I'm glad to hear things are better in Seattle. It's not too surprising, though--your spectacular new library pretty loudly proclaims that Seattle cares about libraries!

[Mike]

You know, any and all emails help. I worked in politics for a while and I remember one issue in particular that went nuts from the grassroots and filled up many politicians' Inboxes. Even if these politicians remain unsympathetic to the union's position, this email nuisance factor alone could definitely make some throw up their hands and say, "I've had enough! We have to negotiate!"

[Sylvia]

I'm sure you're right, Mike. The squeaky wheel gets the grease. It's even in the Bible! (Luke 18)