The elected officers of the Library Division Executive have been effectively blocked from fulfilling our roles as the elected representatives of 2400 library workers in Local 416.
This is in response to our desire to ask library workers if they wished to continue within Local 416 or form a new CUPE library local in accordance with the CUPE National Constitution.
Here are some facts about this unacceptable situation:
1 The Library Division Executive was told that if library workers wanted to form our own CUPE local, we would be “forced” to remain in Local 416.
2 The elected leaders of the Library Division were unfairly attacked at a Library Unit meeting, and in an accompanying flyer filled with distortions and factual errors. This flyer was distributed throughout library workplaces and was forwarded to Library Management.
3 Library Division representatives were deliberately excluded from Local 416 pre-bargaining strategy discussions.
4 Since November the Library Division has been forced to work without a CUPE National representative, while all six of the National representatives working for Local 416 have been assigned to bargaining and servicing of the units in the Outside Division.
5 The President contacted Library Management on at least two occasions to involve them in the internal union conflict with the Library Division and the Library Negotiating Committee. This was done without any consultation with the Library Division’s elected representatives.
6 On December 15 we met the President and Vice-President to discuss the resource needs of the Library Negotiating Committee and Library Strike Committee. We have still received no reply to our requests.
7 On January 27 we received the Outside Division bargaining proposals and assistance from a National representative only after appealing for help to the CUPE Ontario Regional office.
8 As Chair of the Library Division and the only Library representative on the Executive Committee, I have been systematically excluded from any meaningful participation in Local 416 Executive Committee decisions related to the Library Division.
9 On January 28 a library worker (who had previously brought unfounded charges against Local 416 that were not upheld by the Ontario Labour Relations Board or CUPE National) was booked off on union leave for one month without any notice to the elected officers of the Library Division.
This is only a partial list of the obstacles and unhealthy working conditions we have had to face as the elected representatives of the Library Division.
To end on a positive note, the Library Division Executive and Library Negotiating Committee remain united and committed to overcoming these obstacles to ensure that library workers are protected and given the representation they deserve as dues-paying members of CUPE.
Rob Rolfe, Library Division Chair
