Massachusetts Librarians Demand
Comparable Worth
Citing the American Library Association’s “Campaign for America’s Librarians,” Duxbury (Mass.) Public Library workers picketed the library January 8, carrying signs with slogans such as “We just want to join the town team” and “Love your library: Support the library staff.”
“We want to be fairly rewarded,” Head of Circulation Carol Jankowski said in the January 16 Boston Globe, adding, “There is a real focus on improving the benefits and pay scales nationally.”
According to Jankowski, the disgruntlement of Duxbury library employees “all started when one of our staff needed to take a bereavement day to mourn the loss of a grandparent.” She told the January 15 Duxbury Clipper, “Any other town employee could have taken a bereavement day, but our staff member could not.” Noting that unionized municipal workers earned more than nonunionized employees, 17 library staffers formed a bargaining unit within the Service Employees International Union, Local 285, which has held 18 separate negotiation meetings with the town in the past 14 months.
“Because the parties are now at an impasse over [contract] language issues, the town has filed for mediation with the Massachusetts Board of Conciliation and Arbitration,” stated Sharon Siegel, a labor attorney representing Duxbury. Meantime, library staffers continue to receive 2001 salaries and benefits, having removed themselves from the town bylaws governing wages once they’d unionized.
Posted February 3, 2003.
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