Library Lockout Update

Here's the situation as the union sees it:

• Without a contract: 436 Days
• Waiting to Bargain: 187 Days
• Locked Out: 24 Days
• Salaries and benefits unpaid due to lockout: $519,928.00
• Value of service lost to the public so far: $2,675,524.00

Here's the situation as the faithful patrons see it:

Photo: smallestbones

The photo was taken at a rally to protest the library lockout at the Legislature on Saturday. Appropriately, it was International Women's Day, which is relevant because the one and only issue in this labour dispute is pay equity for the female-dominated library occupations. I can't tell you any more about the rally because I wasn't able to attend, and I haven't been able to find any news coverage of the event. The union website also has nothing on the rally other than the announcement of it.

I have to say (if anyone is listening) that the union is not doing a very good job of communicating with the public (or, more importantly, the media) in such as way as to keep citizens informed and involved. They need to give us something new to take to the politicians, and something to keep us fired up. A lot of people seem to be oblivious to what is going on, so the union has to do more to get their message out. Unless they want this to drag on forever, they've got to raise awareness to such a level that the politicians will get off the fence and start putting pressure on their bargaining committee to negotiate or seek arbitration. If the union can't even get their biggest public protest to date in the newspaper, then there is something wrong with their PR strategy.

Comments

[Andrew]

I totally agree. I haven't heard anything new since the day they were locked out.

[Sam Houston]

This is all terribly sad to me. I don't know what I would do if my library shut down for an extended period of time like this; I would be totally lost. Best of luck...hopefully this will end well, and end soon.

[Sylvia]

Thanks, Sam. Every time someone blogs about finding interesting books at the library I feel a pang of sadness. Sigh.

[びっくり]

I'm glad to see the value of service greatly outweighs the wages: this means there is room to bargain. But timing is not so good. Once spring is sprung in BC, everyone will want to be out in the beautiful scenery. Come November, they'll all want to curl up with a book. Good luck.

[Sylvia]

It would only leave room to bargain if the politicians in charge actually cared about providing service to the taxpayers. What they're really doing is saving enough money on unpaid wages so when they finally give out some meagre pay increase it will come out even. Bastards.

[Dorothy W.]

What a terrible situation! I hope it gets resolved SOON.

[Sylvia]

Thanks. :)

[Stefanie]

Love the sign. Sounds like the union needs to kick it into gear and get the public more riled up. The more pressure the government gets from the citizens the more likely they are to sit down at the bargaining table.

[Sylvia]

There was some news yesterday that this might be starting. A couple of councillors are planning to put forward motions to encourage the library board to negotiate. It's a start!