Contrary to rumours that have been deliberately started by members of the Local 416 Executive who do not respect the right of library workers to belong to a union of our choice, a new library local will take better care of your money.
Since amalgamation, library workers have contributed far more dues money to Local 416 than we have taken out. Local 416 has spent about $1 million per year on legal costs alone, with a largely disproportionate amount going to fund arbitration and legal costs mainly for the Outside Division.
At the time of amalgamation, Local 43, the largest outside worker local, brought over $1 million dollars of debt into Local 416. Local 43 had just come out of administration, when CUPE National took over running the local to begin to address its huge debt problems.
For the outside leaders on the Local 416 Executive, most of them former members of Local 43, to suggest that a library local would not be financially viable, when all of the former library locals in Metropolitan Toronto were efficiently run and debt-free prior to amalgamation, is an outrageous fabrication.
Here are the facts:
Local 43, the largest outside workers local, brought an over $1 million debt into Local 416. No library local was in debt prior to amalgamation.
Library workers have paid far more into Local 416 than we have taken out since amalgamation. In our new library local your dues will be used to fund library issues.
Local 416 has been planning to raise your union dues. No plans have been made to raise union dues in our new library local.
Local 416 funds 3 full-time officers and 5 full-time office employees from your union dues. A new library local will already have 3 full-time officers fully paid by the Library under our own collective agreement.
For all of these reasons, a new library local
will take better care of your money.
A message from your Library Division Executive
