Public Employee Press

Budget Battle
"Save our libraries!" say workers

By GREGORY N. HEIRES

As funding cuts in Mayor Bloomberg's proposed budget threatened to force city libraries to lay off over 1,000 workers, DC 37 library locals waged a vigorous fight-back campaign.

The budget agreement showed their effectiveness as it restored $90 million for libraries.

In the fightback, activists called City Council members, Librarians spoke at budget hearings, and members hit the streets in rallies and news conferences. Tweets and emails zipped through cyberspace, raising alarm about the looming layoffs and service cuts.

DC 37 leaders and workers from the three city library systems joined community activists and City Council supporters May 31 at a news conference and rally at City Hall. They denounced the mayor's plan to slash library budgets by $100 million and spoke passionately of the damage the cuts would do to the local economy, education and internet access for needy adults, students and the unemployed.

Protestors carried signs reading "No More Cuts," "Save Library Funding" and "Libraries: Resources for a Lifetime."

Local 2627 President Robert D. Ajaye pointed to a figure jogging up the City Hall steps, and yelled, "There's the mayor slipping in - right there!" Immediately, the protestors broke into a chant of "No more cuts! No more cuts!" and Bloomberg ducked inside without acknowledging them.

DC 37 Executive Director Lillian Roberts appealed to City Council members to restore the funding and blasted Bloomberg for "playing a game" with public services and the livelihood of DC 37 members while serving the interests of corporations.

A need for steady funding

"We will not stand for any cuts to our great library system," said Jimmy Van Bramer, who chairs the City Council committee on libraries and cultural affairs. Accompanying him were Council members Letitia James, Peter Vallone Jr., Mark Weprin, Ydanis Rodriguez, Diana Reyna and Vincent Gentile, who heads another committee on libraries.

Queens Public Library President Thomas W. Galante and Queens Library Guild Local 1321 President John Hyslop spoke. Hyslop said he is disgusted that library supporters have to fight every year for budget restorations and called for a plan to guarantee steady funding. Brooklyn Library Guild Local 1482 President Eileen Muller and New York Public Library Guild President Val Colon accompanied Hyslop, who was back at the microphone a few days later at another rally, where DC 37 Associate Director Henry Garrido joined activists to denounce Bloomberg's library cuts.