Public Employee Press

Workers mobilize to save libraries


By GREGORY N. HEIRES

As the City Council vote on next year's budget approached, library workers waged an aggressive fight-back campaign against Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg's proposed $63 million cuts in library funds.

Leaders and members of DC 37's four locals that represent library workers mobilized against the threat of nearly 1,500 layoffs and deep service cutbacks by testifying before the City Council, rallying at branches, organizing a 24-hour "read in" at Brooklyn Central Library, encouraging patrons to sign petitions, waging a press campaign and enlisting the support of sympathetic politicians and community activists.

The fight-back helped pressure the City Council to restore millions of dollars for libraries, dramatically reducing the threat of layoffs.

"We face over 350 layoffs, which would cripple the services we provide the community," said Eileen Muller, president of Brooklyn Library Guild Local 1482, before the City Council vote on the budget.

"Morale has hit rock bottom," she said. "The silver lining is that our members are united in their concern and are working together to fight these cuts and layoffs."

Precious Edwards, a Customer Service Specialist at Long Island City Community Library, is one of the DC 37 members who have heard the call. Although she was lucky enough not to get a layoff notice,
Edwards has thrown herself into the fight-back.

Each afternoon, she is among the workers outside the branch asking people to sign a petition against the budget cuts. She has attended rallies, including the giant June 16 "Save Our City" demonstration in Lower Manhattan.

Solidarity with layoff targets

"These are my friends and I feel very sorry their jobs are threatened," said Edwards, who has volunteered to make the "We will not be shushed" T-shirts that library workers wear at demonstrations.

At Queens Library last month, management summoned 400 workers to the central library, where human resources representatives met individually with employees and presented layoff notices. Brooklyn notified workers by mail.

The Brooklyn and Queens libraries informed the workers of the possible layoffs to comply with a federal law that requires private employers to give employees 90 days' notice of layoffs that would hit at least 50 workers.

The New York Public Library hasn't sent out notices, but management says Bloomberg's budget would cause 736 layoffs. At the NYPL board meeting in May, officials acknowledged that the staff is already cut to the bone and said the library would do everything possible to avoid layoffs.

So far, 60 NYPL workers have signed up for an buyout offer providing up to 30 percent of salary. Last year, 190 members took a buyout that provided up to half a year's pay.

Leaders and activists from the four locals turned out at the City Council's budget hearing on June 7.

"If you want to see what a potential laid-off person looks like, look at me," testified Brooklyn Librarian Ingrid Abrams. "I am the last person Brooklyn Public Library hired. Now, I'm going to be the first fired." Local 1482 activists Eric Bobilin, Rita Meade and Vicky Hill also testified.

Local 1321 Executive Vice President Margaret Gibson spoke about how the cuts would hurt the Queens system, where the administration says that in addition to the layoffs, Bloomberg's budget would close 14 branches, cut hours of service in half and leave 34 branches open only two or three days a week.

Cuthbert Dickenson, president of Local 374, which represents blue collar workers at NYPL, said the budget slashes would undermine the important services libraries provide for victims of the economic downturn.

"The lives of the library users and the minds of tomorrow's future leaders will forever be affected if the libraries are not available," said NYPL Guild Local 1930 President Valentin Colon.

Muller called on the City Council to restore the $17 million cut to the Brooklyn system, which would eliminate 363 positions, close 16 branches, reduce branches with Saturday service from 55 to 12 and end seven-day service at two of the four libraries now open on Sunday.

Cut waste, not jobs

DC 37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts addressed a news conference and rally attended by hundreds on May 25 that the Queens Public Library sponsored with the support of Local 1321. Activists carried signs with such messages as "No More Cuts," "Economy Down Means Library Use Up," and "Kids in Library, Not in Street."

Margalit Susser, then president of Local 1321, and Queens Library Director Thomas W. Galante spoke along with City Council members, including Deputy Majority Leader Leroy Comrie, Committee Chairs Jimmy Van Bramer, a former Queens library administrator, and Vincent Gentile.

Local 1321 members also rallied June 1 at the Queens Central Library in Jamaica and June 3 at the Langston Hughes branch in Corona, where Queens Borough President Helen M. Marshall showed up in support.

"All we are saying, Mr. Mayor, is that there are alternatives," said DC 37 Assistant Associate Director Henry Garrido at the June 1 demonstration. "Let's cut the contractors. Let's cut the waste."