Librarian Unions

VANCOUVER STRIKE- Online Petition for Library Workers

2007-09-25T02:30:00.000-07:00

We have been without a contract for 267 days
We have been on strike for 64 days

Please add your name to our online petition
encouraging the City of Vancouver
to engage meaningfully in negotiations

Direct public feedback
is the best motivator of civic politicians.

Vancouver Public Library- PAY EQUITY-August 7,2007,CUPE 391

2007-09-18T03:24:00.000-07:00

From CUPE 391 Bargaining Blog

Pay Equity – Statements

“Fundamentally, the issue of pay equity is about fairness. Everyone - regardless of gender – should receive fair compensation for the work that they do. The fact that this is an issue for some of the largest public libraries in British Columbia is highlighting the fact that this province lags behind other provinces such as Ontario where the Pay Equity Act (passed in 1991, amended in 1993 and still in effect today) increased the salaries of library workers by, in some cases, up to 24%....The risks of ignoring pay equity are demoralized workers and the loss of bright young librarians to more lucrative jobs in the private
sector. Employers who argue that they can’t afford it need to look at what has been done in the past to attract the best people in other areas – police forces, trades people and so on. Let’s work together to ensure that all library workers are paid fairly and that our libraries are the best they can be.”

-- Deb Thomas, President, BCLA [excerpted from the President’s column in the next issue of the BCLA Reporter due out soon].

”The issue of pay equity is very important to me, partly because after my daughter, Jenna, graduated from library school last year, she was unable to find a library job that paid a living wage. My daughter aside, I have been involved with pay equity concerns for a long time, and chaired ALA's Pay Equity Committee. It grieves me that the profession of librarianship is so grossly undervalued and underpaid.”

--Maurice J. (Mitch) Freedman
American Library Association President, 2002 – 2003

”Library workers support life long learning for the entire community.
They tend and nurture the intellect and creativity of all people. Yet
because library workers are largely women and people of color their
jobs have been undervalued compared to jobs where white males
dominate. Pay equity means wages must be sex- and race-neutral.”

--Dr. Kathleen de la Pena McCook
University of South Florida

“A root problem with librarians and pay equity is that you have a
feminized group of workers standing up for free and equitable access
to information (including public access to government documents). The
very nature of the profession dictates a female dominated "activist"
workforce. Pay equity is an important way to begin mainstreaming
library workers' voices. But that's a tough sell to those people who
need to hear it. Let's never forget that when 21st century American
librarians criticized aspects of the USA Patriot Act related to
libraries, General Ashcroft labeled these professionals as "hysterics"!

--Dr. Toni Samek
Unversity of Alberta

Mitch Freedman on Pay Equity naysayers

A reproduction of M. Freedman’s email dated
Oct. 14, 2002 to the ALA Council and ALA Member Forum.
Dear Colleagues,
Although I am devoting my next column in American Libraries to this subject, but I felt compelled to comment now because no one will see that column for two months.
I will comment more briefly here because of the absolute
wrongheadedness of the assertion that the issue of salaries and pay equity should be taken off of the table because of the recession and difficult budgets.
That tired argument always has been used to hold down our pay, and it's time we put it to sleep permanently or as I have said elsewhere, send it to the Smithsonian.
First, a library should recognize the existence of the problem by adopting a policy of pay equity for its staff. It doesn't cost the library a cent to adopt the policy, but it does demonstrate the library's acknowledgement that the inequity exists.
Second, having adopted the policy, the library should commit to some form of comparable worth study, e.g.. how is the public library staff paid in re to people in other city departments with comparable qualifications, experience, and skills. Or select applicable targets
for school and academic library staff. This doesn't have to cost money--it depends on the library's commitment to supporting the policy,
or your willingness to do the work on your own, collectively through a staff association, a union, or any other means. We need to know the dimension of the problem and local comparable worth data is especially relevant.
Third,we must do something about it. The argument that budgets can't be changed is specious--libraries have reallocated their budgets every year--putting more here and less there depending on need, circumstance, etc. The principle of reallocating for the purpose of paying equitable
and fair salaries must not be an issue unless we continue to passively allow it. We all have seen portions of book money shifted to non-book materials and on-line databases in order to meet new priorities.
Having committed to the policy and determined the extent of the problem, the library should create a plan for addressing the inequitable pay. Whether the increase is $5 or $5000, a token amount (e.g. in situations where there are major cuts and dreadful problems) or a substantial
amount, some planned payment schedule should be developed. Be it over 1, 3, 5, or even 10 years, libraries must once and for all recognize the problem and commit to doing something about it.
I didn't sign onto this profession, nor did most of you, to subsidize libraries by accepting inequitable, and, in altogether too many situations, demeaning salaries. I will not let up in my efforts to promote better salaries and pay equity for all library workers in all kinds of libraries. I hope you won't either.
The reader has my permission to send this message--unabridged, please--to any list or person.
mitch
Maurice J. (Mitch) Freedman, MLS, PhD
President of the American Library Association
Pay Equity – Selected Bibliography

”Equality in employment will not happen unless we make it happen.”
-- Judge Rosalie Abella

Pay Equity – Canada

Bell Canada Enterprises.
Current and Former Bell Canada Employees Ratify Pay Equity Settlement.
http://convergence.bce.a/en/news/releases/corp/2006/06/19/73676.html;
accessed 02 September 2007.

British Columbia Federation of Labour. Pay Equity.
http://www.bcfed.ca/issues/women/payequity;
accessed 25 August 2007; Internet.

General discussion of pay equity in BC with links to:
Canadian Labour Congress
http://canadianlabour.ca/index.php/pay_equity

The National Association of Women and the Law
http://www.nawl.ca/

Canada. Canadian Human Rights Commission. Pay Equity.
http://www.chrc-ccdp.ca/pay_equity/default-en.asp;
accessed 26 August 2007; Internet.

“The Pay Equity mandate is to discourage wage discrimination or
any policy or practice that may lead to wage discrimination on the
ground of sex by investigating pay equity complaints in a timely,
thorough, professional, neutral, and unbiased manner. Pay Equity
is governed by the Canadian Human Rights Act and the
Equal Wages Guidelines.”

“The Canadian Human Rights Commission is empowered by the
Canadian Human Rights Act to investigate and try to settle
complaints of discrimination in employment and in the provision of
services within federal jurisdiction.”
http://www.chrc-ccdp.ca/about/default-en.asp

Canada. Department of Justice. History of Pay Equity in Canada…
http://www.justice.gc.ca/en/payeqsal/1100.html;
accessed 27 August 2007; Internet.

Chronology of pay equity from 1948 to 2001 with links
to documents such as: (partial list)

Beijing Platform for Action
Canadian Human Rights
Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms
Convention on the Elmination of All Forms of Discrimination
Against Women (CEDAW)
Equal Remuneration Convention, 1951 or Convention 100
Equal Wage Guidelines, 1986
Human Rights Act
Pay Equity Act
Pay Equity Task Force
Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Of interest to BC is the final entry that reads:
“Newly elected BC government repeals the pay equity amendments
and announces an independent review of provincial pay equity
legislation. A Task Force has been established and its report is
expected in February 2002.”

Canada. Department of Justice. Pay Equity: a New Approach.
A Selected and Annotated Bibliography of Resource Articles about
The Implementation of Pay Equity.
http://section15.gc.ca/en/payeqsal/5001.html;
accessed 24 August 2007; Internet.

A list of approximately 50 documents on the topic.

Canada. Department of Justice. Pay Equity Task Force.
Pay Equity: Some Basics March 2002.
http://www.justice.gc.ca/en/payeqsal/docs/basics.pdf;
accessed 24 August 2007; Internet.

Canada. Department of Justice. Pay Equity Task Force.
Pay Equity: a New Approach to a Fundamental Right:
Pay Equity Task Force Final Report 2004.
http://www.justice.gc.ca/en/payeqsal/docs/PETF_final_report.pdf;
accessed 23 August 2007; Internet.

Canada. Royal Commission on Equality in Employment. Report of the
Commission on Equality in Employment, by Judge Rosalie
Silberman Abella. Ottawa: Supply and Services, 1984.

Commonly referred to as the Abella Commission the report outlined
a distinct Canadian process for achieving equality in all aspects
of employment. Judge Abella coined the term, “employment
equity.”

Canadian Legal Information Institute. Canada (Human Rights
Commission) v. Canadian Airlines International Ltd.
http://www.canlii.org/en/ca/fca/doc/2004/2004fca113/2004fca113.html;
accessed 30 August 2007; Internet.

“Complaints filed with CHRC by union against airlines alleging
wage discrimination against predominantly female
flight attendants, as compared to two predominantly
male employee groups.

See also: http://www.cupe.ca/www/8/ART405f6b652ca9d

“Air Canada had argued that the flight attendants, who are
mainly women, don’t work in the same ‘establishment’
as defined in the legislation, as pilots and mechanics
who are mainly men. The court has ruled that they do,”
said Sachs.”

CTV.ca Bell Canada, Union Reach $100M Pay Equity Deal
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews
/20060515/bell_canada_060515/20060515?hub=Canada;
accessed 30 August 2007; Internet.

“The company and the union both welcomed the deal, which
was 14 years in the making and went all the way to the
Supreme Court of Canada.”

Citysoup.ca. Pay Equity
http://portal.citysoup.ca/NR/exeres/1E77242D-A7A6-40D5-AFFE-
6E04A61DC387.htm;
accessed 27 August 2007; Internet.
A community portal for the BC cities of Port Moody and Port
Coquitlam includes answers to such questions as:

What do we mean by pay equity?
How are jobs compared to evaluate equal pay?
What types of legislation provide for equal pay in Canada?
How can you determine if an occupation is predominately
male/female?

Cornish, Mary and Fay Farraday. Litigating Pay and Inequity Strategic Uses and Limits - the Canadian Experience.
http://www.nacew.govt.nz/conference2004/docs/paper-litigating-
-pay-and-employment-equity.pdf;
accessed 24 August 2007; Internet.

Equal Pay Coalition Press Release. Women and Union reach
landmark $414 Million Settlement of Pay Equity Charter
Challenge against Ontario Government.
http://www.web.net/~equalpay/press_release_jn_13_en
accessed 29 August 2007; Internet.

Gunderson, Morley and W Craig Riddell. “Comparable Worth:
Canada’s Experience.” Contemporary Economic Policy 10 no. 3:
85-94.

Discusses the design, implementation, and administration of
comparable worth legislation in Canada, focusing particular
attention on the potential of comparable worth to close the male-
female earnings gap. The authors document the Canadian
Legislative initiatives, provide illustrative evidence on the impact
Comparable worth, and identify the main policy lessons to be
Learned from the experience of Canada.

Lewis, Debra J. and Lisa S. Price. Just Give us the Money: a Discussion
of Wage Discrimination and Pay Equity.
Vancouver: Women’s Research Centre, 1988.

The report examines gender, race, and class-based wage
discrimination in the Canadian public sector workplace
and offers strategies for legislating pay equity.

Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Public and Private
Employees, NAPE.
Information about Government's $24 Million Ex-gratia Payment.
http://www.nape.nf.ca/media/backgrounders/
backgrounder_1.htm; accessed 27 August 2007; Inernet.

Description of a ‘pay equity’ settlement of sorts for the
Allied Association of Health Professionals, Canadian Union of Public
Employees, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, and
Newfoundland and Labrador Association of Public and Private
Employees.

Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care.
Pay Equity Victory for Women and Unions.
http://www.childcareontario.org/library/payequity/payequitysummary03.pdf

“In April 2001 five unions and four women launched a Charter
Challenge of the Ontario Government’s decision to deny pay equity
Funding to women in mostly female public sector workplaces. On
May 23, 2003 they reached a landmark agreement with the Ontario
Government that will provide $414 million of funding into proxy
Pay equity payments for public sector women workers.”

Ontario. Pay Equity Commission. About Pay Equity.
http://www.payequity.gov.on.ca/peo/english/rights/rights_pe.html;
accessed 24 August 2007; Internet.

Defines pay equity as “equal pay for work of equal value”
includes, “Chart #1 Pay equity comparison between female and
male job classes of comparable value.”

Other pages of interest on this site:

Pay Equity, Laws and Policies in other Jurisdictions
http://www.payequity.gov.on.ca/peo/english/links.html;
accessed 24 August 2007; Internet.
Links to federal, provincial pay equity acts, US, international &
other related links.

Public Service Alliance of Canada, PSAC. Pay Equity. What's New.
http://www.psac.com/what/payequity/pay-e.cfm

“national union with members from coast to coast to coast, in
every province and territory.”

Chronological list of their pay equity landmarks, 2001-2007.

York University Faculty Association, YUFA. A short History of
Recurring Attempts to Address Gendered Salary Inequities
at York (1975-1998);
http://www.yufa.org/news/pay_equity_history.html;
accessed 24, August 2007; Internet.

Pay Equity, Library – Canada

Canadian Union of Public Employees. Long Overdue:
Pay Equity for Library Workers. Available from:
http://cupe.ca/Bargainingstrategies/pelibraryworkers
accessed 27 August 2007; Internet.

Background paper on pay equity struggle in Saskatchewan.

Canadian Union of Public Employees. Overdue: Pay Equity for
Library Workers.
http://cupe391.ca/action/bargaining_2007_documents/pay_equity_july07.pdf;
accessed 30 August 2007; Internet.

Pay equity struggle and issues in British Columbia.

”Library workers are undervalued and underpaid. “

Canadian Union of Public Employees.
Submission to Federal Pay Equity Task Force, May 1, 2002.
http://www.cupe.bc.ca/files/Federal%20Task%20
Force%20Submission%202002.pdf; accessed 02 September 2007.
Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 410. Overdue Promise:
10 Years Overdue. .
http://www.overduepromise.ca/index.html;
accessed 27 August 2007; Internet.

Overdue Promise, a campaign for pay equity at the Greater Victoria
Public Library, GVPL.

“The promise, made in 1992 as a part of the collective agreement
between the Library and it's Employees was that Library Workers
would achieve Pay Equity, and that for this purpose their jobs
would be compared with equivalent jobs at Victoria City Hall. “

“More than 10 years later, that promise has yet to be fulfilled. “

City of Toronto. Council Approves Pay Equity Agreement for Former
Public Library Employees. accessed 04 September 2007; Internet.

"I am delighted that we have settled this ten-year-old dispute,"
said Councilor David Miller.

Lu, Vanessa. “Library Pay Equity Battle ‘a long 10 years’ for Staff;
Staff Celebrates $31 Million Win.” Toronto Star, 18 May 2000,
Sec. B, p. 01. Retrieved 05 September 2007, Canadian Newsstand.

“the settlement is a victory because it recognizes that library wages
for the predominantly female staff were 30 per cent less
than comparable male-dominated jobs in the city's structure.”

Ontario. Pay Equity Hearings Tribunal. “Brampton Public Library Board
(No. 2) (1994), 5 P.E.R. 51.” Pay Equity Report Volume 05-
Summaries.

“The Tribunal held that the negotiated arrangement was a
pay equity plan within the meaning of the Act and that
the Board was bound by the terms of the plan to which it
had agreed, including the method of job comparison and
the identity of the employer for pay equity purposes.”

Ontario. Pay Equity Hearings Tribunal. “Metropolitan Toronto
Library Board (1990), 1 P.E.R. 112.” Pay Equity Volume 01.
http://www.labour.gov.on.ca/pec/peht/decisions/per01/0009-89_desc.html
accessed 03 September 2007; Internet.

Ottawa Public Library Board. Minutes. February 5, 2007.
http://www.biblioottawalibrary.ca/archive/board/2007/070205/m070205.pdf
accessed 02 September 2007; Internet.

“Ms. Clubb noted that future budgets would have pay
equity included in the base budget, and would not be a
separate line item.”

Pay Equity Committee, McGill University. The McGill University
Pay Equity Plan. In accordance with the “Pay Equity Act”
R.S.Q.., chapter E-12.
http://payequity.mcgill.ca/report.html
accessed 30 August 2007; Internet.

Thomas, Deb. “President’s Column September/October 2007.”
BCLA Reporter.

Personal opinions on pay equity from current BCLA President
Deb Thomas. (see page 2 for excerpt)

Toronto Public Library. 2001 Operating Plan and Budget.
Memo from City Librarian to Toronto Public Library Board,
January 8, 2001.
Accessed 04 September 2007; Internet.

“The 2001 Budget also includes annualization of pay equity costs
amounting to $3.4 million or an additional 3% increase over the
2000 Budget.”

Pay Equity – International

Anker, Richard. Gender and Jobs: Sex Segregation of Occupations
Of the World. Geneva: International Labor Office, 1998.

A comprehensive analysis of the levels and recent changes
in sex segregation of occupations. It is based on detailed
occupational data from 41 countries or territories from all
regions of the world.

International Labour Organization. Gender Equality Tool.
http://www.ilo.org/dyn/gender/gender.home;
accessed 25, August 2007; Internet.

Devoted to advancing opportunities for women and men to obtain
decent and productive work in conditions of freedom, equity,
security and human dignity. The ILO is the only ‘tripartite”
United Nations agency in that it brings together representatives
Governments, employers and workers to jointly shape policies
and programmes.

Public Service International. Pay Equity Case Studies.
accessed 04 September 2007; Internet.

PSI is a trade union federation of over 500 unions public
sector unions in over 140 countries.

Pay Equity, Library – International

Australia. Equal Opportunity for Women in the Workplace Agency.
Case Law-Public Sector Librarians Equal Remuneration case 2002
NSWIRC.
http://eeo.gov.au/Developing_a_Workplace_Program/Six_Steps_to
_a_Workplace_Program/Step_2/_Pay_Equity_Tool/case_law/public
_sector_librarians.htm; accessed 27 August 2007; Internet.

“ In this landmark case the NSW IRC found that the work of
librarians, archivists and technicians has been and is undervalued
on a gender basis and that librarians and archivists should be
considered to be ‘professions’ for the purposes of remuneration.
The case was about the design of classification and grading
structures as well as about gender-related undervaluation.”

“The Commission ruled that library and information professions
were comparable to other professions.”

The case had a significant focus on how the value of the work is
assessed. Evidence dealt with the use of qualifications,
points-factor job evaluation schemes and position level
descriptors.

Bonella, Irene. “A Century of Pay Inequity: Is the End in Sight?”
The Australian Library Journal.
http://alianet.alia.org.au/publishing/alj/52.4/full.text/bonella.html;
accessed 27 August 2007; Internet.

Discusses the history of women’s pay disadvantage in Australia
with a focus on librarians. The author describes how “real progress
in pay equity came in the last years of the century for women in
general, including librarians. In 1996 the New South Wales (NSW)
government established the Pay Equity Taskforce, under the
auspices of the NSW Attorney General and Minister for Industrial
Relations, to investigate pay equity issues affecting women in
the state.” Also discusses job evaluation as a 'formal procedure
which, through analysing the content of jobs, seeks to rank those
jobs hierarchically in terms of their value, for the purpose of
establishing wage rates.” Brief bibliography included.

European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and
Working Conditions. “Gender Pay Equity in Europe.” eiroline.
http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/eiro/2002/01/study/TN0201101S.html;
accessed 02 September 2007.

“There are still significant wage differentials between
women and men across the EU and Norway. This
remaining pay gap is of increasing concern to
policy-makers and women themselves at both national
and European level. This comparative study reviews:
the general development of the pay gap in the EU
and Norway; statutory measures to combat
pay discrimination against women and improve their
pay conditions; the relationship between the issue of
pay equity and collective bargaining; the approach taken
by the social partners.”

Josephine, Helen. “All Things Being Equal: Pay Equity for Library
Workers.” Wilson Library Bulletin 57, no. 4 (1982): 300-03.

Stating that women workers generally earn less than their male
colleagues, this article examines these inequities as experienced by
library employees, noting job evaluation studies, library-based
comparable worth studies, and federal response in Canada and the
United States.

Schmidmaier, Dagmar AM and Anne Doherty. “Pay Equity for the
Library Profession: a State Library of New South Wales
Perspective.” World Library and Information Congress 71th IFLA
General Conference and Council, August 14-18, 2005:
Libraries – a Voyage of Discovery.
http://www.ifla.org/IV/ifla71/papers/179eSchmidmaie_Doherty.pdf;
accessed 27 August 2007; Internet.

This paper outlines the role of the State Library of New
South Wales in the Australian pay equity case for the benefit of
the profession.

Teece, Phil. “Still More to do on Pay Equity.” Incite, Workwatch
(May 2005).
http://www.alia.org.au/publishing/incite/2005/05/workwatch.html;
accessed 27 August 2007; Inernet.

“Librarians have led the current quest for pay equity in Australia.
Their 2002 Test Case triumph in New South Wales remains by far
the most significant step yet taken in Australia to redress
years of pay disadvantage for workers in feminized
occupations.”

“When librarians won pay rises of more than 30 per cent, they
startled even those pessimists who saw pay equity
campaigns as mere pie in the sky.”

Pay Equity – United States

American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees,
AFSCME. We’re Worth It!: an AFSCME Guide to Understanding
And Implementing Pay Equity;

http://www.afscme.org/publications/1225.cfm;

http://www.afscme.org/publications/2416.cfm
accessed 25 August 2007; Internet.

General pay equity information with a list by state of major
Victories AFSCME has achieved at the bargaining table, in the
Courts through state legislation.

Crampton, Suzanne M. et al. “The Equal Pay Act: The First
30 Years,” Public Personnel Management 26, (1997).

Two major acts have been passed to eliminate gender
discrimination within the workplace – The Equal Pay Act (EPA)
of 1963 and the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The EPA was the first
law to suggest that the pay of women should be equal to men
when their positions are equal. The purpose of the EPA was to
secure pay for women when they have jobs similar to men and
so seek to eliminate discrimination and the depressing effects
on living standards caused by reduced wages.

National Committee on Pay Equity. Equal Pay Day.
http://www.pay-equity.org/day.html;
accessed 27 August 2007; Internet.

Equal Pay Day was originated by the National Committee
on Pay Equity (NCPE) in 1996 as a public awareness event to
illustrate the gap between men’s and women’s wages. The
day, observed on a Tuesday in April, symbolizes how far into
the year a woman must work, on average, to earn as much
as a man earned the previous year.

National Committee on Pay Equity. History of the Struggle
For Fair Pay.
http://www.pay-equity.org/info-history.html;
accessed 27 August 2007; Internet.

Major events in US pay equity history from 1932-1999.

National Committee on Pay Equity. Pay Equity Information.
http://www.pay-equity.org/info.html;
accessed 27 August
2007; Internet.

Includes: links to research reports, Q & A on pay equity,
History of the struggle for fair pay, Q & A on the Fair Pay
Act, and even a fair pay quiz.

O’Neill, June Ellenoff. “Comparable Worth,” The Concise Encyclopedia
Of Economics. Indianapolis: Liberty Fund, Inc., ed. David R.
Henderson, 2002. [Online] available from
http://www.econlib.org/library/Enc/ComparableWorth.html
accessed 27 August 2007; Internet.

Should a truck driver earn more than a telephone operator, or
an engineer more than a librarian? Questions like these are
largely resolved in the labor market by the forces of supply and
demand. Proponents of comparable worth, however, challenge the
resulting pattern of wages by arguing that occupations dominated
by female workers are paid less than comparable male-dominated
jobs because of systematic discrimination against women. Under
comparable worth, employers would be required to set wages to
reflect differences in the “worth” of jobs, with worth largely
determined by job evaluation studies, not market forces.
advocates expect comparable worth to increase pay in jobs
dominated by women and to sharply narrow overall gender
gap in wages.

Wikipedia contributors, “Equal Pay for Women,”
Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pay_equity;
accessed 27 August 2007; Internet.

Includes a discussion on: US and British equal pay acts,
“choice” and “discrimination” theories, wage chart comparisons.

Note: the validity of the information should be questioned. It is
included here only because of its increased use as a reference
source.

Pay Equity, Library – United States

ALA-APA. Advocating for Better Salaries and Pay Equity Toolkit.
http://www.ala.org/ala/hrdr/libraryempresources/toolkit.pdf
accessed 24 August 2007; Internet.

“when compared to other professions with similar education and
training, librarians and library workers are often compensated at
a rate far lower than their comparable worth. This situation is
slowly improving thanks to ALA and ALA-APA’s efforts.”

“This latest edition of… is just one of several ways that AlA
members can arm themselves to address salary inequities.”
Leslie Burger, ALA President, 2006 – 2007.

Bibliography: “the emphasis for items posted in the bibliography
is on practical rather than theoretical materials and on more recent
information, although there are additional items from the 1980s
and early 1990s that are not noted here.”
http://ala-apa.org/salaries/bibliographybettersalaries.pdf;
accessed 27 August 2007; Internet.

ALA-APA. National Library Workers Day.
accessed 27 August 2007; Internet.

“On Jan. 25, 2003 a resolution was proposed :
That in order to recognize the hard work, dedication, and expertise
Of library support staff and librarians that the Tuesday of National
library Week be designed National Library Workers Day; and, that
on that day, interested library workers, library groups, and libraries
should advocate for better compensation.”

ALA-APA. Pay Equity Web Sites.
http://ala-apa.org/salaries/payequitysites.html;
accessed 25 August 2007; Internet.

The ALA Allied Professional Association is a nonprofit organization
chartered in the State of Illinois for the purpose of promoting “the
mutual professional interests of librarians and other library
workers.” The ALA-APA is a companion organization to the
American Library Association (ALA), an educational association
chartered in the State of Massachusetts to “promote library service
and librarianship.”

ALA-APA. MONEYTALKS.
http://ala-apa.org/salaries/moneytalks.html;
accessed 28 August 2007; Internet.

Discussion list for ALA members who want to discuss salary issues.
Send an e-mail message to MONEYTALKS@ala-apa.org

California Library Association. CLA’s Fair Compensation Campaign:
Making the Case for Fair Pay.
http://www.cla-net.org/resources/articles/fair.php;
accessed 27 August 2007; Internet.

“Librarians and library workers are under-valued, and most
people, whether members of the public, elected officials, faculty,
corporate executives, or citizen board members, have little or no
idea of the complexity of the work we do.”
Info. on how to obtain a copy of, The Case for Fair Compensation
for Library Workers, A Survey of Comparative Pay Levels in
California.

Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO. Library Workers:
Facts and Figures, 2007.
http://www.dpeaflcio.org/programs/factsheets/fs_2007_library_workers.htm
accessed 03 August 2007; Internet.

Statistical information on the wage gap for library workers.

Downey, Annie L. History, Progression, and Issues of Women
Librarians.
http://www.unt.edu/slis/students/projects/history_of_women_librarians.pdf;
accessed 03 August 2007; Internet.

Discusses why librarians are still vastly underpaid for the
jobs they perform. The section on pay equity is entitled,
The Bottom Line: Pay Equity in the New Millennium.
Includes bibliography.

Koltzenburg, Teresa. working@your library: for Love or Money?
http://www.ala-apa.org/salaries/videoguide.pdf;
accessed 27 August 2007; Internet.

A pay equity tool produced by the ALA-APA. This video
guide accompanies the ten minute video production,
working@yourlibrary: for Love or Money? which strives to
reinforce the concept for librarians and library workers and
for those who make salary decisions for dedicated library
professionals, e.g., library boards, taxpayers, and legislators
- that librarians and other library workers play, and will
continue to play, an indispensable role in the New Millennium’s
information economy.

Kruger, Betsy and Catherine Larson, eds. On Account of Sex: an
Annotated Bibliography on the Status of Librarianship ,
1998-2002. Lanham, MD: Scarecrow, 2006.

This comprehensive and substantially annotated bibliography
Includes materials published in the library and information
Science literature as well as the literature of related fields
(i.e., social sciences, management, higher education, and
women’s studies). Some of the topics covered are career
development for women; salary and compensation; sex
discrimination; equal stratification in the field; and the
history of women in the profession. 226 pages.

Long, Sarah Ann. Librarians Get Too Little Compensation for
All They Do.
http://www.sarahlong.org/ourlibraries/read/index.php?articleID=148
accessed 27 August 2007; Internet.

Former ALA president 1999 – 2000 talks about pay equity.
She says, “Statistics show that librarians, along with
other predominately female professions, are underpaid
relative to the amount of education required and the complexity
of the services provided. For example, the U.S. Department
of Labor has classified the work of systems analysts and
database administrators as comparable to the work of librarians.
But the salaries aren’t comparable: $61,000 for a beginning
systems analyst or database administrator but only
$34,000 for a newly minted librarian.”

New Hampshire Library Association. Pay Equity Task Force.
Advocating for Pay Equity in New Hampshire Libraries, aToolkit;
http://nhlibrarians.org/payequitytoolkit.pdf;
accessed 24 August 2007; Internet.

This document is intended to facilitate discussion among interested
parties about library compensation in their area, and to provide the
necessary tools to actually begin working to improve the current
status of library salaries.

CUPE 391 Strike (July 26, 2007 - )

Canada. Human Resources and Social Development.
Major Work Stoppages in Canada in 2007.
http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/en/lp/wid/ws/ws_2007.shtml;
accessed 27 August 2007; Internet.

A chart of unresolved labour disruptions involving 500 or more
Employees. At the top of this chart VPL- CUPE 391 with the
first issue listed, pay equity.

CUPE 391 Blog Features

Note: a list by blog title.

ALA Committee on the Status of Women In Librarianship,
COSWL Cause.
Hardship in Vancouver Pay Equity Struggle. 29 August 2007.

"We have every reason to be proud." - Vancouver Library
Workers. 22 August 2007.

Librarians Marching Inspires Pay Equity Courage.
18 August 2007.

Librarians looking for Pay Equity. 14 August 2007.

Ballad in Plain E, Emma Wood.
The worst thing about Vancouver's municipal strike.
13 August 2007.

F-email Fightback
Vancouver's library strike: Men get nearly $6 more...
24 August 2007.

GungHaggisFatChoi, Toddish McWong.
http://www.gunghaggisfatchoy.com/

Entry titles:
Daniel Gawthrop, author and CUPE National worker, speaks and
Reads to Vancouver Library workers.
27 August 2007.

Author Stan Persky speaks to library workers because his books
Are “locked up” during the strike.
27 August 2007.

Vancouver authors, writers and poets come to Library Square to
Address striking library workers.
23 August 2007.

Itinerant Poetry Librarian
When librarians are on strike... they still need reading
Materials… the Itinerant Poetry Librarian to the rescue!
28 August 2007.

Librarian, Dr. Kathleen de la Pena McCook
Vancouver Public Library Strike. Alex Youngberg and D’Arcy
Stainton, CUPE. 18 August 2007.

Librarian Activist.org
900 Vancouver library workers poised to strike. 22 July 2007.

Librarian at the Kitchen Table, Dr. Kathleen de la Pena McCook
Pay Equity is Key Issue in Vancouver Public Library Strike.
No. 480.
01 August 2007.

Librarian Unions, Dr. Kathleen de la Pena McCook
Overdue: Pay Equity for Library Workers.
Reprint of CUPE document of the same name. 20 July 2007.

Library Journal
No Progress in Long-Running Vancouver Library Strike.
Jennifer Pinkowski. 30 August 2007.

As Strike Drags On, Vancouver Library Still Closed.
Norman Oder. 10 August 2007.

Union Strike, Shuts down Vancouver, BC Library
Lynn Blumenstien. 27 July 2007.

LibVibe (an audioblog of library news)
LibVibe - 23 August 2007.

Alex Youngberg is featured talking about the CUPE 391 strike and
the City’s lack of understanding on pay equity issues

Lower East Side Librarian, Jenna
Union Librarian - Vancouver Library Workers Strike
18 August 2007.

Oldtown News, Jamie Lee Hamilton
Kudos to the library workers.
16 August 2007.

Fightback, Kevin Bell
Vancouver library workers fight for pay equity...
15 August 2007.

OLBA: Ontario Library Boards Association
Reprint of Glove and Mail article by Laura Drake,
10 August 2007.
“Vancouver strike: librarians looking for pay equity.”

Radical Reference
Vancouver library workers on strike. 16 August 2007.

“Radical Reference is a collective of volunteer library workers
who believe in social justice and equality”
Runnerland
Open the damn library, already! 10 August 2007.
http://runnerland.blog.com/2000054/

Progressive Librarians Guild
The main page of this website contains a statement expressing
the groups solidarity with the library workers of the Vancouver
Public Library as they strive to achieve pay equity.

CUPE 391 recognizes and thanks the Progressive Librarians Guild
for their written and monetary show of support!
http://libr.org/plg/index.php

Sandborn, Tom. “Vancouver’s Library Strike: Women’s Pay
On the Line.” Tyee
20 August 2007.
“Tom Sandborn is a Vancouver based writer, organizer
and consultant. Born in Alaska, he has lived in the Lower
Mainland since 1967. Raised in the wilderness by wolves,
Sandborn is a sort of feral author who owes most of what
he knows to the generous efforts of feminist women, poets of all
genders, renegade nuns.”
Source: http://www.bccla.org/bios/sandborn.html

StanleyK, created by Dr. Kathleen de la Pena McCook
”An uncensored discussion list for those who teach in library
and information science education programs and those
interested in issues relating to the education of librarians.”

Features discussions about the CUPE 391 strike by US
and Canadian library educators.
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/StanleyK/

Terry Glavin, Chronicles & Disent
West coast writers: you're wanted on this line.
23 August 2007.

“Terry Glavin is a renowned writer and conservationist. His book
The Last Great Sea: A Voyage Through the Human and
Natural History of the North Pacific Ocean won the Hubert
Evans Prize, and This Ragged Place: Travels Across the
Landscape was a Governor General’s Award finalist. A
frequent contributor to newspapers and magazines, Glavin is
the recipient of numerous regional and national journalism
awards. He is currently an adjunct professor at the University
of British Columbia’s fine arts department, and he serves as
an adviser to the Sierra Club of Canada’s B.C. chapter. He lives
on Mayne Island, in B.C.’s southern Gulf Islands.”
Source:
http://www.penguin.ca/nf/Author/AuthorPage/0,,1000069388,00.html

Union Librarian, Dr. Kathleen de la Pena McCook
Extensive CUPE 391 coverage by a well respected library educator,
activist and author.
http://unionlibrarian.blogspot.com/
accessed 30 August 2007; Interne.

See also: http://www.cas.usf.edu/lis/mccook/

Wandering Ink, Kris
I can rant once and a while… 20 August 2007.
http://wanderingink.wordpress.com/

Library Workers Deserve:

Pay equity (also known as)

Comparable worth (or also known as)

Equal pay for work of equal value

Overdue:Pay Equity for Library Workers.

2007-07-08T17:41:00.000-07:00

Overdue:Pay Equity for Library Workers.
CUPE Research
June 2007
Introduction

The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) represents more than 2,500 public library workers in communities throughout British Columbia. Those workers are the lifeblood of community libraries, providing vital information and education services such as cataloguing, document processing, research, children’s services, information technology support, binding, mending, graphics and much more.

Unfortunately, the wages paid to library workers in communities across B.C. are chronically low given the importance of the services provided, the educational requirements for many positions and the wages paid to library workers in some other provinces. Library workplaces in B.C. are predominantly female- dominated. The sad truth is that, as in other female-dominated workplaces, the jobs in B.C. libraries are woefully underpaid.

This report will illustrate how poorly paid library jobs are in comparison to male-dominated municipal and educational jobs. We believe that the low wages are the result of gender discrimination and that employers must take action to reverse this discrimination. Pay equity adjustments are long overdue for library workers in B.C.

Public Libraries

There are 75 local public library boards in B.C. Public library services are provided at 241 public library facilities throughout the province.

Our public libraries have very high usage. In 2005, total circulation in B.C. libraries was 52.147 million or 12.61 items per capita. That’s up from 11.34 items per capita ten years earlier.

Also in 2005, there were a total of 2,111 full time equivalent staff working at public libraries throughout the province, providing valuable information and educational services to the general public.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees is certified to represent workers of 23 B.C. public library systems in the diverse communities of Dawson Creek, Trail, Smithers, Vancouver Island, Penticton, Terrace, Okanagan, Fraser Valley, Greater Victoria, Vancouver, Burnaby, Prince Rupert, Nelson, North Vancouver City, Gibsons, Surrey, Coquitlam, Port Moody, Kitimat, Powell River, Grand Forks, Castlegar and Richmond.

There is no doubt that B.C. public libraries provide a vital service for the public. Libraries play a key role in communities by providing resources for all citizens, augmenting learning opportunities for both children and adults, assisting students, small businesses and others who need research as well as ensuring free access to information in a world where information is increasingly becoming commercialized.

The fact that per capita circulation of library materials has increased over the last decade is a clear illustration of how valuable libraries are for British Columbians. Libraries help strengthen our communities and make them better places to live. Public libraries are key to a democratic, egalitarian society because they ensure all citizens have access to a wide range of information and knowledge.

Demands of Library Jobs

Library positions require a high degree of formal education and continuing professional skill development. Entry-level jobs require a grade 12 education but many require two-year post-secondary training, a bachelor’s degree or a master’s degree, in the case of librarians. Many library workers also acquire specialization in areas like children’s services, adult education or government documents.

Library workers are constantly upgrading their information technology skills. Library resources are continuing to migrate from print to electronic sources. Library workers must learn how to use and manage these systems as well as train the public in the systems.

Library workers’ work duties are far from sedentary. The library can be considered an industrial workplace requiring heavy lifting, shelving and moving books as common tasks. Consequently, there are significant occupational hazards: repetitive strain injuries, musculoskeletal injuries, harassment and violence from the public. Since libraries are free and open to the public, people from all social backgrounds including people with social and mental health problems visit libraries, requiring library staff to have the social skills to contend with these challenges. Library workers also need to have the social skills to assist and interact with people with various languages other than English, poor literacy skills and patrons who are viewing inappropriate material on the Internet. Libraries should be free and open to the public. Employers and the government must be aware of the tremendous social and communication skills required in library jobs.

Low Wages as Gender Discrimination

High levels of education and ongoing training in library jobs have not translated into well-paying jobs. Library work is largely women’s work. There are few jobs in libraries that are traditionally considered to be male jobs. Traditionally, job categories where women have been concentrated have less pay than those jobs typically considered to be men’s work. Low pay in libraries comes from gender discrimination. Library workers’ pay has not been based on the value of the work, the skills and education required to do the job, nor the effort and responsibilities required.

Entry-level library positions can easily leave employees as the working poor. Many library workers do not receive full-time hours, but for entry-level workers who do work full-time for the full year, Table 1 shows that in various libraries, they would be above the poverty line as a single person. If, however, they were the sole income provider in a family of three they could easily fall below the poverty line. Even workers whose wages surpassed Statistics Canada’s Low-Income Cut-Off line for a family of three, could easily be among Canada’s working poor.
Table 1: Library Entry Level Annual Salaries
Compared to Statistics Canada Low-Income Cut-Off Line (LICO), 2006
City Library Entry Level Position Annual Salary 2006 2005 LICO
Single Person 2005 LICO
Family of 3
Vancouver Library Assistant I $27,137.78 $20,778 $31,801
Burnaby Library Clerk 2 $28,580.50 $17,895 $27,386
Surrey Branch Assistant $32,105.12 $17,895 $27,386
North Vancouver City Circulation Assistant $29,292.73 $17,895 $27,386
Fraser Valley Circulation Assistant $33,237.39 $17,895 $27,386
Sources: CUPE Collective Agreements, Statistics Canada CUPE Research

Ultimately, librarians are the lowest paid professionals in the municipal/library sector. No other position requiring a master’s degree is paid so little. While comparable positions in municipal management that require master’s degrees have recently been reclassified at higher pay rates, librarians have not.

According to Statistics Canada, men in Canada who worked full-time for the whole year in 2003 earned on average $51,408. Women who worked similarly earned only $36,500, or 71% of what men earned. This is an even worse ratio than in 1998 when on average women earned 72.2% of what men earned. This means that in many entry-level positions in libraries, women earn less than men at even a worse ratio than the national average.

Traditionally male jobs in the municipal sector are typically higher paying than traditionally female jobs in the library sector, despite the equally valuable work that library workers contribute to society. Table 2 describes the varying hourly wage rates from entry-level positions in the municipal and library sectors. Entry-level municipal jobs that are traditionally male have wages that can be 50-60% higher than entry-level library jobs that are traditionally female. Additionally, these municipal jobs have a workweek that is over 10% longer than the typical workweek for library workers, leading to higher pay.

Table 2: Comparison of Entry Level Hourly Wages
of Municipal and Library Workers, 2006
City Local & Employer Job Title Start Rate 2006 Top Rate 2006 Years to Max Rate Hours/ Week
Vancouver CUPE 1004 & City of Vancouver Labourer I $21.08 $21.08 0 40
CUPE 391 & Vancouver Public Library Board Library Assistant I $15.31 $17.88 3 35
Burnaby CUPE 23 & City of Burnaby Labourer $20.76 $20.76 0 40
CUPE 23 & Burnaby Public Library Board Library Clerk 2 $16.52 $19.37 3 35
Surrey CUPE 402 & The City of Surrey Labourer $20.96 $20.96 0 40
CUPE 402 & Surrey Public Library Board Branch Assistant $18.11 $18.67 1/2 35
North Vancouver CUPE 389 & City of North Vancouver Labourer 1 $20.76 $20.76 0 40
CUPE 389 & North Vancouver City Library Board Circulation Assistant $16.52 $19.37
3 35
Fraser Valley CUPE 774 & City of Abbotsford Labourer
$17.63 $20.74 1/2 40
CUPE 1698 & Fraser Valley Regional Library Circulation Assistant $18.75 $19.27 1/2 35
Sources: CUPE Collective Agreements CUPE Research

While there is significant variance between entry-level library and labourer positions in municipalities, it is clear that there is also great variance between entry-level municipal library workers and library workers in K-12 and post-secondary libraries, many of whom have benefited from pay equity gains in the last decade. Table 3 demonstrates the significant wage discrepancies between these library sites.

Table 3: Comparison of Entry Level Hourly Wages
of Municipal and Educational Library Workers, 2006
City Local & Employer Job Title Start Rate 2006 Top Rate 2006 Years to Max Rate Hours/ Week
Vancouver CUPE 391 & Vancouver Public Library Board Library Assistant I $15.31 $18.88 3 35
CUPE 15 & Langara College Library Assistant (b) $18.74 $21.20 5 35
Surrey CUPE 728 & Surrey School Board Library Technician $22.89 $22.89 0 32
CUPE 402 & Surrey Public Library Board Branch Assistant $18.11 $18.67 1/2 35
Fraser Valley UCFV Faculty/Staff Association & University College of the Fraser Valley Library Clerk $18.32 $21.13 6 35
CUPE 1698 & Fraser Valley Regional Library Circulation Assistant $18.75 $19.27 1/2 35
Sources: CUPE Collective Agreements CUPE Research

As with entry-level library workers, librarians in the municipal sector generally make less than librarians in the post-secondary and federal government sectors. The average of maximum hourly pay rates (based on 35 hours/week over 52 weeks) of the highest wage librarian positions in Vancouver, Port Moody, Coquitlam, Burnaby, North Vancouver, Surrey and Richmond is significantly lower than comparable library positions in the federal government earn after the large Public Service Alliance of Canada pay equity settlement of 1999. Also, municipal librarians earn significantly less than the average librarian salaries at UBC and SFU, the maximum library salary at Capilano and Douglas colleges.

Table 4: Maximum Librarian Hourly Wages in the GVRD
Compared to the Post-Secondary and Federal Government Sectors, 2005
Location Maximum Hourly Wage
Average of 7 GVRD Cities $31.35
PSAC Federal Government, LS-2 $33.59
SFU $39.00
UBC $39.53
Capilano and Douglas Colleges $41.06
Sources: CUPE, PSAC, College Collective Agreements, CAUT CUPE Research

Long Term Wage Gap

When exploring the pay discrepancy between municipal and library jobs over time, we see startling inequality between traditionally male and female jobs. Table 5 demonstrates that women in entry-level library jobs earn tens of thousands of dollars less than traditionally male municipal labourer jobs. In Burnaby, where there are 5 increments over 3 years, entry-level workers have the best chance of coming close to matching municipal wage rates, as the annual wage gap is less than $10,000. Still, this position is paid just 82% of a comparable municipal position. Ultimately, as Table 5 indicates, increments end up discriminating against library positions. Labourer positions often have no increments so workers reach the maximum wage immediately. Workers in many library positions must wait up to 3 years to achieve maximum pay rates.

The table indicates that over 3 years, entry-level library jobs are paid between $21,000 and $41,000 less than comparable municipal jobs. This income is enough for a down payment on a house or condominium, or for putting 1-2 children through university.

Table 5: Annual, Proportional and Cumulative Wage Gap
Between Entry Level Municipal and Library Workers, 2006
City Job Title Annual Salary:
Start Wage Gap Wage Gap
Ratio Annual Salary: Max Wage Gap Wage Gap
Ratio Years to Max Gap Over
3 Years
Vancouver Labourer I $43,996.49 $43,996.49 0
Library Assistant I $27,959.58 $16,036.91 0.64 $32,652.99 $11,343.50 0.74 3 $41,070.61
Burnaby Labourer $43,328.61 $43,328.61 0
Library Clerk 2 $30,169.32 $13,159.29 0.70 $35,374.08 $7,954.54 0.82 3 $31,670.74
Surrey Labourer $43,746.04 $43,746.04 0
Branch Assistant $33,584.37 $10,161.67 0.77 $34,095.71 $9,650.32 0.78 1/2 $29,462.31
North Vancouver Labourer 1 $43,328.61 $43,328.61 0
Circulation Assistant $30,169.32 $13,159.29 0.70 $35,374.08 $7,954.54 0.82 3 $31,670.74
Fraser Valley Labourer $40,041.40 $43,286.87 1/2
Circulation Assistant $34,716.63 $5,324.76 0.87 $35,191.45 $8,095.42 0.81 1/2 $21,515.60
Sources: CUPE Collective Agreements CUPE Research

Pay Equity Throughout Canada

Library workers have benefited from pay equity elsewhere in Canada for over a decade. Pay equity legislation in Ontario led to job evaluation in Mississauga in the late 1990s. There, a Library Assistant II saw a $5,000 increase in salary, while Senior Librarians, received a $10,000 increase in salary. In Toronto, entry-level library workers received pay equity improvements of 24%, while other positions improved by 17-20%. Similar pay equity gains applied to Ontario provincial library employees. Federally, library workers benefited from the PSAC Pay Equity court settlement more than any other group in PSAC: averaging more than $5,000 more per year.

Municipal librarians in Vancouver and Toronto have seen an increasing gap in their wages after Ontario pay equity legislation, as Table 6 indicates. There is a $7/hour wage gap for librarians in these locations. Further, it takes 25% longer for GVRD librarians to reach the maximum wage level than librarians in Toronto.

Table 6: Comparison of Hourly Wage Rates
of Librarians in Toronto and the GVRD, 2006
Location Starting Hourly Wage Maximum Hourly Wage Number of Steps Years to Max
Toronto $30.84 $34.84 4 3
GVRD $23.70 $27.90 5 4
Wage Gap $7.14 $6.94
Sources: CUPE Collective Agreements CUPE Research

Library workers in municipal, provincial and federal jurisdictions have all gained from job evaluation and pay equity gains. Gender-based pay discrimination is still present in Canada, but the good news is that when bargaining groups agree to assess such discrimination, they have begun to address discriminatory pay practices.

Seeking Pay Equity in Libraries

Percentage wage increases are always valuable. But in the case of gender-based pay discrimination, even if library workers received the same rate of pay increases in a new settlement, that gain would do nothing to reduce the gender gap in pay. In fact, when percentage increases in wages occur the gender gap in wages actually increases!

Pay equity is the best way to address gender discrimination. Gender-neutral point-weighted job evaluation and comparing male and female wage lines are critical elements in achieving equity. Addressing job factors like skill, effort, responsibility and working conditions can lead to pay rates that do not discriminate against workers in traditionally female jobs. Other tools to achieve pay equity include across the board wage increases, eliminating increments and increasing base pay.

Job Evaluation Gains in Pay Equity

Even when an employer and bargaining unit are not explicitly pursuing a pay equity program, there can be spin-off benefits for workers in traditionally female jobs through job evaluation. Port Moody and CUPE 825 are implementing a gender-neutral job evaluation plan on July 1, 2007. Through the job evaluation, virtually all library positions will receive pay increases of $1-3 per hour. This is an indication of what happens when library positions are fairly measured against other municipal positions.

Conclusions

Library workers are undervalued and underpaid. Many earn so little they live below the poverty line and many who earn more are in the ranks of the working poor.

Historically, jobs that have a high concentration of female employees have lower pay than jobs with higher concentrations of men. Library jobs are in this category.

Library employees are among the few B.C. public sector workers who have seen no pay equity gains in the last decade.

Gender-based wage discrimination is unacceptable in the 21st century. As a society we must address it by evaluating and rewarding jobs based on the nature of the work not the typical gender of the person providing the work. Women and men who choose to work providing the valuable public services in libraries deserve better.

Library workers who have been fortunate enough to work for municipal, provincial or federal bodies that have begun pay equity programs are already experiencing greater wage justice. It will be easier to recruit and retain skilled library workers when they know they are not being discriminated against with each pay cheque they receive. All B.C. library workers deserve to achieve the same gains as other library workers have in escaping the pink ghetto.
COPE491 JG/SB/MOH G:\Research\Pay Equity\Library Pay Equity.v4.doc

Support the Employee Free Choice Act

2007-02-07T18:53:00.000-08:00

The struggle for workers’ rights shouldn’t have to be so slow, so hard, or so unfair...

All too often, America’s workers who decide to stand up for themselves by forming a union are met with threats, intimidation, and discrimination. In fact, a worker is fired or retaliated against for their support of a union every 23 minutes!

It’s time for Congress to give America’s workers a fighting chance to secure better wages, benefits, and working conditions by forming unions.

Support the Employee Free Choice Act

Academic Library Unions

2006-10-19T04:56:00.000-07:00

Academic Library Unions (running list).
[In most cases librarians are part of the faculty bargaining unit; please notify me if I have erred. kmccook@tampabay.rr.com].

CANADA

Academic Library Unions (running list).
[In most cases librarians are part of the faculty bargaining unit; please notify me if I have erred. kmccook@tampabay.rr.com].

CANADA

Acadia University Faculty Association

L'Association des Professeur(e)s de Bishop's University

Athabasca University Faculty Association

Bishop's University

Brandon University

Brock University

Canadian Association of University Teachers

Cape Breton University

Carleton University

Concordia University

Dalhousie University

Lakehead University

Laurentian University

McGill University
Non-Academic Certified Association (MUNACA)

McMaster University

Memorial University of NewFoundland

Mount Allison

Mount Saint Vincent University

Nipissing University

Northern Ontario School of Medicine

Ontario Public Service Employees Union

Queen's University

Ryerson University

St. Francis Xavier University

Saint Mary's University. Halifax

Saint Thomas More College

Simon Fraser University

Trent University

University of Alberta

University of British Columbia

University of Calgary

University of Guelph (Ontario)

University of Lethbridge

University of Manitoba Faculty Association

Université Université de Moncton

University of New Brunswick

University of Ottawa

University of Prince Edward Island

University of Regina

University of St. Thomas

University of Saskatchewan

University of Toronto

University of Victoria

University of Waterloo

University of Western Ontario

University of Windsor

University of Winnipeg

Wilfrid Laurier University

York University

=========================================================

UNITED STATES

ALASKA

University of Alaska. United Academics

CALIFORNIA

California Faculty Association.

California State University Bakersfield
California State University Channel Islands
California State University Chico
California State University Dominguez Hills
California State University East Bay
California State University Fresno
California State University Fullerton
Humboldt State University
California State University Long Beach
California State University Los Angeles
California Maritime Academy
California State University Monterey Bay
California State University Northridge
California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
California State University Sacramento
California State University San Bernardino
San Diego State University
San Francisco State University
San Jose State University
California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo
California State University San Marcos
Sonoma State University
California State University Stanislaus

Los Angeles College Faculty Guild.

City College
East L.A. College
Harbor College
Mission College
Pierce College
Southwest College
Trade Tech College
Valley College
West L.A. College

San Francisco Art Institute

University of California

The University Council-AFT is the governance body of the eight campus locals of lecturers and librarians employed by the UC system. UC-AFT is the bargaining agent for units 17 and 18 systemwide.

UC-AFT Librarians Contract.

University of California Berkeley. UC-AFT BERKELEY-SAN FRANCISCO LOCAL 1474

Yuba College

COLORADO

Regis University

CONNECTICUT.

Connecticut State University

University of Connecticut.

DELAWARE

FLORIDA

United Faculty of Florida
Includes:

Broward Community College
Florida A&M University
Florida Atlantic University
Fla. Comm. College at Jacksonville
Florida Gulf Coast University
Florida International University
Florida State University
Hillsborough Community College
New College of Florida
University of Central Florida
University of Florida
University of North Florida
University of South Florida
University of West Florida

HAWAII

University of Hawaii Profefssional Assembly

ILLINOIS

Chicago State University

College of DuPage

Eastern Illinois University

Governor's State University
(great opening page. Turn down the volume,tho).

Illinois Education Association
[Go to "higher Education" for many unions for part-time faculty].

Northeastern Illinois University

Northern Illinois University Instructors

University of Illinois at Springfield

University Professionals of Illinois

We stand 2,700 strong.The University Professionals of Illinois, Local 4100, IFT, AFT, AFL-CIO, Is the recognized leader in academic bargaining for higher education in Illinois, representing seven of the 12 Illinois public universities at the bargaining table.

Western Illinois University

IOWA

University of Northern Iowa

KANSAS

Fort Hays University

MAINE

Universities of Maine-Professional Staff Association
University of Maine at Augusta
University of Maine at Farmington
University of Maine at Fort Kent
University of Maine at Machias
University of Maine
University of Maine at Presque Isle
University of Southern Maine

MARYLAND

MONTGOMERY COLLEGE

MASSACHUSETTS

Emerson College-Adjunct Faculty

Suffolk University-Adjunct Faculty

University of Massachusetts, Massachusetts Society of Professors

MICHIGAN

Eastern Michigan University

Michigan Education Association

Michigan Technological University

Northern Michigan University

Oakland University

Wayne State University

Western Michigan University

MINNESOTA
Minnesota State College Faculty (MSCF)

NEBRASKA

University of Nebraska-Omaha

NEVADA

Truckee Meadows Community College

NEW HAMPSHIRE

University of New Hampshire

NEW JERSEY

New Jersey Institute of Technology

Rider University AAUP

Rowan University

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

Union of Rutgers Administrators, AFT Local 1766, represents
Administrative Assistants, Library supervisors and Library Associates at
all three campuses of Rutgers University and a few other titles such as
Digital Resources coordinator, Media coordinator, Graphics coordinator.

Union County College

University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey (UMDNJ)[includes University Libraries]

NEW YORK

Adelphi University

City University of New York-Professional Staff Congress

D'Youville College

Hofstra University

New York Institute of Technology

United University Professions

United University Professions (UUP) is the union representing more than 31,000 academic and professional faculty on 29 State University of New York campuses, plus System Administration, Empire State College, and the New York State Theatre Institute. UUP is affiliated with the New York State United Teachers and the American Federation of Teachers, AFL-CIO.

With some 800 job titles included in the bargaining unit, UUP reflects the diversity of the State University. Members include Librarians.

Albany
Alfred
Binghamton
Brockport
Brooklyn Health Science Center
Buffalo Center
Buffalo Health Science Center
Buffalo State
Canton
Cobleskill
Cortland
Delhi
Empire State
Environmental Science and Forestry
Farmingdale
Fredonia
Geneseo
Maritime
Morrisville
New Paltz
New York State Theatre Institute
Old Westbury
Oneonta
Optometry
Oswego
Plattsburgh
Potsdam
Purchase
Stony Brook Center
Stony Brook Health Sciences Center
System Administration
Upstate Medical University, Syracuse
Utica/Rome

=====================

OHIO

Cincinnati State Technical & Community College

Cleveland State University

Cuyahoga Community College

Kent State University

University of Akron

University of Cincinnati

University of Toledo

Wright State University

OREGON

Oregon University System-Collective Bargaining Units (links)

Eastern Oregon University

Portland State University
Portland State University- Part-Time Faculty

Southern Oregon University

Western Oregon University Federation of Teachers

PENNSYLVANIA

Allegheny, Community College of. CCAC/AFT LOCAL 2067.

Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties

Bloomsburg University
California University
Cheyney University
Clarion University
East Stroudsburg University
Edinboro University
Indiana University
Kutztown University
Lock Haven University
Mansfield University
Millersville University
Shippensburg University
Slippery Rock University
West Chester University

Philadelphia.
Faculty and Staff Federation of Community College of Philadelphia (FSFCCP).

TEXAS

Texas A & M System

May A&M System employees participate in collective bargaining contracts with labor organizations for issues regarding wages, hours of employment, or work conditions?

A: No. Any such collective bargaining contract is void under Texas law. Additionally, labor organizations may not be recognized as bargaining agents for a group of public employees.

VERMONT

University of Vermont

WASHINGTON

University of Washington-AAUP-Advocacy Chapter-not union.

Washington State, United Faculty of

Central Washington University
Eastern Washington University
Western Washington University

Public Library Unions

2006-10-19T04:53:00.000-07:00

Public Library Unions (running list).

PLEASE send updates and corrections and I will add/fix:
kmccook@tampabay.rr.com.

CANADA

Canadian Union of Public Employees

Le Syndicat canadien de la fonction publique (SCFP)

ALBERTA

Calgary Public Library

BRITISH COLUMBIA

Canadian Union of Public Employees BC Division (CUPE BC)
CUPE BC Library Committee

CUPE Local 391 (Vancouver Public Library and Gibsons and District Public Library Workers)

Gibsons District Public Library

British Columbia Government and Service Employees' Union. Component 6. Social, Educational and Health Services.

Vancouver
QUEBEC

Montreal.Syndicat des professionnelles et professionnels municipaux de Montréal.

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UNITED STATES

CALIFORNIA

Los Angeles County Librarians. SEIU Local 660.

Los Angeles Public Library. Local 2626 of AFSCME.

San Francisco Public Library. SEIU Local 790

San Jose

Shasta County. United Public Employees of California (UPEC)

CONNECTICUT

Cheshire (CT) Public Library

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

Library of Congress Professional Guild, AFSCME Local 2910, representing over 1600 employees at the Library of Congress.

FLORIDA

Broward County [pdf of COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS BROWARD COUNTY, FLORIDA AND THE GOVERNMENT SUPERVISORS ASSOCIATION OF FLORIDA OPEIU, AFL-CIO, LOCAL 100 BROWARD COUNTY SUPERVISORY UNIT OCTOBER 1, 2002, TO SEPTEMBER 30, 2005]

Jacksonville

Orange County Library System SEIU local 8.

MASSACHUSETTS

Boston Public Library

Massachusetts Library Staff Association
Includes:

Abington Public Library
Attleboro Public Library
Braintree: Thayer Public Library
Bridgewater Public Library
Cambridge Public Library
Everett: Parlin Memorial Library
Foxborough: Boyden Library
Franklin Public Library
Holbrook Public Library
Hull Public Library
Lexington: Cary Memorial Library
Lynnfield
Medford Public Library
Middleborough Public Library
Milford Town Library
Milton Public Library
North Reading: Flint Memorial Library
Pepperell: The Lawrence Library
Quincy: Thomas Crane Public Library
Stoneham Public Library
Stoughton Public Library
Wakefield Public Library
Wayland Free Public Library
Weston Public Library
Weymouth Public Libraries
West Springfield Public Library
Winthrop Public Library & Museum
Woburn Public Library

Worcester Public Librarians part of National Association of Government Employees. Local 495.

MINNESOTA

Hennepin County. AFSCME Local 2864 (Professional Employees, including HCL Librarians)
Support staff are Local 2822 AFSCME

NEW HAMPSHIRE

Nashua Public Library Employees Local 4831.

NEW JERSEY

Ocean County Library

NEW YORK

Brooklyn Public Library

Buffalo and Erie County Public Library

Librarians
# Civil Service Employee Association (CSEA)
# American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME)

New York Public Library

Queens Public Library

Tompkins County Public Library [NY]

OHIO

Cincinnati (Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County)

Cleveland Public Library

Hamilton County (Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County)

Lucas County- Toledo - Lucas County Public Library Association of Public Library Employees. APLE. UAW Local 5242

Stark County Library District (Canton)

Toledo - Lucas County Public Library
Association of Public Library Employees. APLE. UAW Local 5242

PENNSYLVANIA

Philadelphia Free Library.

RHODE ISLAND

Providence Public Library. United Service and Allied Workers of RI (USAW-RI).

WASHINGTON,D.C.

Library of Congress Professional Guild, AFSCME Local 2910, representing over 1600 employees at the Library of Congress.

WASHINGTON (STATE)

Council 2

THE WASHINGTON State Council of County and City Employees, (WSCCCE) AFSCME, AFL-CIO represents more than 16,000 employees who provide services to the citizens of Washington state. It is a democratic union providing a real voice for its members through active participation and professional representation. The Union works to preserve and enhance workers' compensation and benefits. It also promotes job security and improves other employment conditions.

King County Public Library [WA]

WISCONSIN

Milwaukee Public Library

Wisconsin Council AFSCME 40

Joe Hill Watch

2006-10-19T04:43:00.000-07:00

"Don't Mourn, Organize"

.

Union Librarian began the Joe Hill Watch on April 20, 2006. The Joe Hill Watch honor workers killed or wounded on the job. In some cases as in Mexico, workers have been killed fighting for their rights. In other cases workers have died because of unsafe work conditions. By driving out unions management all over the world are responsible for unsafe working cnditions. Each man or woman who dies at work is a light that goes out.We begin the Joe Hill Watch at the time of organizing for the May 1, 2006 Immigration Protests. It is a shocking reminder of the suffering and hardships of our brothers and sisters in Mexico that the Mexican police have killed and wounded striking workers on the eve of the U.S. protests.

===========================================

October 19, 2006. JHW. 7.

Union Activist Jesús Marino Mosquera Murdered in Colombia

June 22, 2006. JHW. 6.

Many Workers Killed Week of June 19/2006.

June 10, 2006. JHW.5.

A foundry worker was killed Thursday when he fell into an industrial pit and was covered in molten steel, authorities said.

Gordon Hickman, 41, was operating a massive ladle near the rim of the 35-foot pit just before noon when he fell into it, moments before the 2,600-degree steel was poured in, said Battalion Chief John Whitlatch of the Canton Fire Department.

May 20, 2006. JHW.4.

5 Killed in Harlan Mine Explosion. HOLMES MILL - Five coal miners died and a sixth crawled to safety early May 20, 2006 after an underground explosion ripped through a Harlan County coal mine in Kentucky's worst mining disaster in 17 years...United Mine Workers President Cecil Roberts urged state and federal mine officials to "redouble their inspection and enforcement activities, starting now.""This tragedy only compounds what has already been a horrific year in America's coal mines," Roberts said in a statement.

May 6, 2006. JHW.3.

The roof of a condominium project partially collapsed, burying and pinning workers in quick-drying concrete that ultimately crushed them. The site was One Bal Harbour featuring 185 apartments priced from $1.75 million to more than $12 million.

April 21,2006. JHW.2.

Akron Beacon Journal-.
WHEELING, W.Va. - A foundry worker who was electrocuted had recently been forced to leave his job Mittal Steel's Weirton mill through a buyout offer as part of downsizing.

April 20, 2006. JHW.1.

Michoacan, Mexico. Mexican police shot dead two workers at a steel plant operated by Villacero SA, Mexico's biggest producer of steel bars and wire rod, during an attempt to break a three-week-old picket line, the union said.About 600 police this morning shot tear gas and opened fire on workers at the company's steel plant in the southern state of Michoacan, killing two and wounding dozens more, the Mexican Mining Federation said in an e-mailed statement. The workers' families burned buses and blocked roads in response, the union said.