Library committee seeks union

The second-best library in the nation may become only the third library in the state to unionize its workers. \nIn the wake of benefit cuts at Monroe County Public Library, ranked No. 2 in the nation last year for libraries of its size by Hennen’s American Public Library Ratings, a group of employees has teamed up in an effort to create a workers’ union. \n“They were looking for a voice they didn’t have,” said Randy Paul, a member of the board of trustees and an out-spoken critic of many library policies. \nPhil Eskew, a committee leader and technology trainer at the library, said the union movement began partially in response to benefit cuts at the library. Last August, the board of trustees voted to cut some worker benefits, including lowering the amount of sick pay employees can accumulate and, more controversially, cutting a health care program that allowed employees age 60 and older to retire early with 90 percent of their medical care covered by the library until the age 65.\nIn the spring, the committee presented the trustees a petition requesting they authorize collective bargaining, said board of trustees Treasurer John Walsh. On Sept. 19, the board will have a work session to decide how the library will proceed on the union issue. \nThough certainly current issues play a role, Eskew said the union effort is not about problems people have with other people. Nor does the union ask for a role in administrative decisions, he said. \n“The role of the union is about worker pay and benefits and working conditions,” Eskew said. “Right now, all those decisions are made by the board and the director. We want to have bargaining rights at that table.” \nSince she was hired in 2004 hiring, Director Cindy Gray, who is at the center of the controversy, has tried to bring people into the decision-making processes by creating a number of different committees, she said. \n“When I came on board, everything was top down,” Gray said. “I’ve made several attempts to bring people in and I’m proud of that.” \nEskew said people appreciated the chance to get involved, but the lack of feedback was frustrating. \n “It was great that we had an opportunity and fair for administration not to implement all our recommendations,” Eskew said. “But there was not enough feedback as to why a specific recommendation was not implemented.”\nGray said she believed a union could mean mixed results for the library. The union would allow management to deal with one voice instead of several, and employees would have a designated person to go to if they wanted to see changes made. However, she also worried about the “cultural environment” a union might bring, as well as the mandatory dues. \nThe union issue has added to a tense atmosphere at the library right, Gray said. Eskew disagreed the issue had polarized employees, however. \n“I think there are some people very much against it, but to try and talk about it in black and white terms is an unfair characterization. There are lots and lots of shades of grey,” Eskew said. “When you sit down and talk with most of the people in the library about what our goals are, everyone is behind them. They want a voice in the decision making process.” \nEskew said unionizing could help settle some of the problems at the library right now. \n “There is a perception of favoritism and I think that perception can be cleared up by having clearer policies,” Eskew said. “Any perceived favoritism is probably rooted in the ambiguous language of policy.”