how you can support striking tpl workers

An open letter from my friend and comrade Jonathon Hodge. See below for picket schedule.

Dear friend/neighbor/colleague,

Many of you are library users, or know someone who is, and so many of you are affected by the current work stoppage at the Toronto Public Library. Those of us who work in the library system do not take this step lightly.

The Toronto Public Library Board is pursuing a course that will severely undermine the library services that Torontonians hold dear. Already, budgets cuts have resulted in the loss of over 100 full-time equivalent positions, including the entire office for services to people with disabilities! This is on top of a 17% reduction in staffing over the last 12 years, while library circulation has increased over 25% in that same period. The library system is busier than ever and running with fewer people.

Further to that, the board is proposing to eliminate the employment security provisions for almost two-thirds of library workers. The employer’s final offer leaves a large majority of library staff unprotected from cuts and contracting out. More than half would be vulnerable to losing their jobs in the City’s next attempt at library budget cuts in 2013. The only reason to eliminate such provisions is to lay the ground for the closing of branches and the selling off of library assets in coming budgets.

We can not allow this to happen.

Please make your voices heard to the library board chair and to the City librarian.

How you can help:

1. Email Councilor Paul Ainslie (Councillor_ainslie@toronto.ca), chair of the Toronto Public Library board and demand a contract that secures public library service across the city, and that protects the staff who provide that service. CC any correspondence the City Librarian’s office – citylibrarian@torontopubliclibrary.ca.

2. Post a window sign in your home and/or workplace to show your support. [This is posted above. You can copy and print the image.]

3. Visit a library picket line and bring greetings to the workers that make Toronto Library work – Lines are at City Hall, Toronto Reference Library, Northern District Library, North York Central Library, Albion Library (Etobicoke) and Cederbrae Library (Scarborough). [See schedule below.]

4. Forward this post to your Toronto contacts.

Together, Toronto can safeguard the world-class library service we all value.

Thank you for your support.Sincerely,

Jonathon Hodge
Librarian,
Canadiana Room
North York Central Library

Picket schedule:

Toronto Reference Library
789 Yonge Street
Mon-Fri 8-8:30 & Sat 9-4:30 & Sun 1-5

City Hall
100 Queen Street West
Mon-Fri 8-3:30 & Sat 9-4:30

Albion library 515 Albion Road
Mon-Fri 9-4:30 & Sat 9-4:30

Fairview library
35 Fairview Mall Dr
Mon-Fri 9:30-8:30 & Sat 9:30-5

Northern library
40 Orchard View Blvd
Mon-Fri 8-3:30 & Sat 9-4:30

Cedarbrae library
545 Markham Road
Mon-Fri 9-8 & Sat 9-4:30

North York Central Library
5120 Yonge Street
Mon-Fri 8-7 & Sat 9-4:30