At the June meeting of the Toronto Public Library Board, the employer recommended that plans to extend the hours of operation at BY, CE, GHP, JS, LE, LHS, MAL, RI, and TH in 2011 be implemented ahead of schedule and would begin on September 1, 2010.
The Toronto Public Library Board unanimously passed a motion to support this recommendation.
Here's how it breaks down in terms of additional hours of operation:
Bayiew: 10.5
Centennial: 10.5
Goldhawk Park: 11.5
Jane/Sheppard: 10.5
Leaside: 11.5
Lillian H. Smith: 2.5
Malvern: 6
Richview: 2.5
Thorncliffe 3.5
The Union strongly advised the employer to use the Extra Hours list to cover these additional open hours for the September - December 2010 period and allow the regular shift selection process to be implemented for 2011. Members in these branches have already selected their shifts for the year and have organized their lives around this committement. To ask them to re-do shift selection during the summer months is certainly less than ideal. For members to have changes to their shift, particularly starting in September when school starts, is onerous and places extra stress on an already stressed workforce.
The employer said they could not do this - and have imposed a second shift selection at some of these locations.
The Union will continue to pursue this issue. For individuals with concerns or questions, please contact the union representatives on the Hours of Work Committee. Paul Robinson (FV), Mary Bissell (NYCL-ST), Samee Lee Grossman (DR) or Carmela DeGiorgio at the Union Office 416-440-7981.
