Urbana Free Library Staff Join AFSCME for Fair Treatment and Respect

Urbana Free Library Employees Unanimously Opt to Unionize

In a significant move towards workplace empowerment, the Urbana Free Library (UFL) staff in Illinois have joined the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME). This decision was solidified with a unanimous vote and subsequently certified by the Illinois Labor Relations Board on November 6. The UFL has been serving the Urbana-Champaign community since 1874.

The drive to unionize was largely fueled by concerns over unfair treatment from library management. "We were all frustrated, trying to understand why the people who actually make this library run were being treated like dirt,” expressed Callie Ferencak, a library assistant and an active member of the organizing committee.

Employees voiced that some of the upper management's decisions were negatively impacting their daily work. Carol Inskeep, a librarian with three decades of service, noted, “Our staff love the library. We care about that place. We care about our patrons. That’s why it’s so disheartening when you see decisions get made that result in turnover, or demoralize us so much that we lose the most committed people. We know if we have a stronger voice, we’ll be able to make better decisions for our library and our patrons.”

Ferencak and Inskeep independently initiated conversations about unionizing among different employee groups, eventually merging their efforts to collectively organize their colleagues.

During initial meetings, the organizing committee, including Ferencak, engaged coworkers by distributing reading materials about the labor movement and presenting data showing the benefits of unionized libraries to their communities.

The library's patrons also expressed their support for the staff's efforts. At a Labor Day event in Champaign, UFL employees participated in a parade on AFSCME’s float, receiving cheers from patrons along the route. “Our patrons were shouting, ‘We love you,’” Ferencak recounted, describing the moment as "one of the most heartwarming things I’ve ever seen.”

With official union certification, the employees are poised to enhance their role in shaping the library's services and fostering a respectful, fair work environment. “The future looks bright for us,” Ferencak remarked optimistically.

The UFL workers are part of a growing trend of library employees who are seeking greater influence through AFSCME. Nationwide, AFSCME represents 25,000 library workers through its Cultural Workers United initiative. In Illinois, numerous cultural institutions, particularly around Chicago, have recently unionized under AFSCME Council 31. Notable examples include the Newberry Library, Niles-Main District Library, and Oak Lawn Public Library.