TORONTO, ON – Members of Local 4948 of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE Local 4948 – the Toronto Public Library Workers Union) voted overwhelmingly this week to give their bargaining committee a broad mandate, including strike action, if necessary. Local 4948 is currently negotiating with the Toronto Public Library Board for a new contract.
Maureen O’Reilly, president of Local 4948, said the main issues are a decent wage increase and, above all, measures to address the increasingly precarious work for many library workers. “This is a workforce that is half part-time workers and 75 per cent female. A contract for our workers needs to reflect the realities of work in the library system.”
O’Reilly noted the volume of library use continues to grow, but the budget has shrunk. “The city needs to recognize the growing demands on the library system and budget appropriately. We cannot afford another contract full of roll-backs which weaken the service by making jobs at the library unstable.”
Bargaining with the library board continues.
For more information, please contact:
Katrina Miller
647-272-5024
Cim Nunn
416-627-7695
Kevin Wilson
416-821-6641
