Saunders: New Organization Precedes National Library Workers Day
Editorial StaffThe Facts -
- Lee Saunders, AFSCME President, highlighted the pressures library workers face.
- AFSCME members at the Daniel Boone Library system won a contract with significant benefits.
- Worker momentum in libraries is growing, backed by community support.
AFSCME President Recognizes National Library Workers Day
Lee Saunders, President of AFSCME, acknowledged National Library Workers Day occurring on April 9, 2024. He highlighted that libraries remain an integral part of communities, providing a space for all to learn, read, and use the internet. Amid challenges such as the opioid crisis, COVID-19, extremist book bans, and staffing shortages, library workers have been under significant strain.
Library workers, according to Saunders, are using their job role to ensure these essential community centers remain open. In 2024, AFSCME members at the Daniel Boone Regional Library system secured a landmark contract featuring substantial wage increases, 12 weeks of paid family leave, and other perks to attract more qualified candidates to this respectable career.
In addition, workers at the Jefferson County Public Library in Colorado made history with AFSCME by forming the first union under the state's new collective bargaining law for county employees.
Worker momentum within our nation's libraries continues to increase, with community backing showing no signs of diminishing. This National Library Workers Day is an opportunity to honor those who create safe spaces for people to learn, grow and create.
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