Public Employee Press

Librarians OK raises as Local 1930 maps drive to hike pay in other titles

Local 1930 Librarians voted April 7 to accept a management proposal that raises their pay in the New York Public Library system.

The offer, designed to make NYPL Librarian salaries competitive with those in Brooklyn and Queens, was controversial because it affected only Librarians and Research Specialists, who are paid at the Librarian rate.

New York Public Library Guild Local 1930 launched a pay equity campaign last year after the Brooklyn and Queens library systems raised salaries unilaterally. Brooklyn provided upgrades and promotional opportunities for some clericals and raised salaries for all Librarians; Queens covered only Librarians.

Local 1930 President Lynn Taylor said the local would now launch a drive to raise pay for clericals, Information Assistants and Library Technical Assistants.

The campaign will include continued wage negotiations, pressure for upgradings and out-of-title grievances, she said.

“We are demanding parity for all our members. We are not going to stop here!” Taylor said as she presented the proposal to members.

The raises range from nearly $3,400 to $4,100 for more than 240 Librarians who were not on the payroll when Local 1930 won an 8 percent hike for the title in 2001 after a three-year campaign. To roughly match salaries in Queens and Brooklyn, the new agreement also provides smaller raises for NYPL Librarians covered by the 2001 deal, bringing the total number of members affected to over 500. Like the 2001 agreement, the pact requires affected workers to give up breaks and shift differentials to help fund the salary increases.

During the April 7 meeting, Sr. Librarian Peggy Salwen spoke in favor of the new agreement, saying it would eliminate a two-tier system with newer workers paid less than veterans. But Librarian Christine Karatnytsky called it “a bad deal, a divisive deal.”

Oher speakers urged members to turn down the management proposal. Treasurer Carol Thomas, the local’s chief steward, characterized the agreement as “grossly unfair.” She voiced the sentiment of many clerical workers by calling it a “declaration of war” by management against the workers with other titles in the library system.

On April 13, local leaders discussed strategy for the campaign to win pay parity for all members with Negotiations Director Dennis Sullivan and Assistant Director Michelle Green, Professional Division Director Stephanie Velez and Rep Lisa Riccio.