Dear MCPL Staff Member,
As you know, there is currently a drive to unionize staff at MCPL. As members of the organizing committee, we would like to let you know why we think this effort is important to you and our fellow staff members. Please take a moment to read this letter.
Consider first: a union is democratic. It’s an organization of individuals with common goals, working together to establish consensus and interact positively with administration to find solutions. It’s not about being antagonistic toward administration. When we talk about unionization, we’re talking about working together for the collective good.
Bringing a union into MCPL will not solve every problem you have in the workplace. It will not guarantee you a raise or a promotion or benefits, but it will give you a voice. A union will empower you by representing you at the negotiating table.
The organizing committee has drafted a flyer that you may have seen in staff lounges. It touches on four themes: 1) empowerment, 2) job security, 3) transparency and consistency in hiring and promotion, and 4) establishing lines of communication with administration and the library board.
We are concerned about a number of issues, such as medical and retirement benefits, equal treatment and being treated with respect, fair distribution of work duties, accurate job descriptions, fairness in job promotions, job security, training and much more. MCPL staff members have little power in addressing these concerns. We can make suggestions at brown bags or attend Solutions Plus meetings, and we can hope for sustained access to the board. But we have nothing to back us up and no guarantee that real, lasting change will come about.
However, positive change can be realized through negotiation on workplace issues that union members consider important. Together, through surveys and discussion, staff can determine what our union efforts will highlight. You decide the direction and emphasis of the movement.
The organizing committee is working with the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) to establish a union at MCPL. AFSCME is the largest union of public sector workers in the United States and represents over 20,000 librarians nationwide, including workers at the Library of Congress and in numerous public libraries across America.
Once formed, our local union will be administered by MCPL staff. We will write our own constitution, organize our meetings, and elect our officers. AFSCME will assist with contract negotiations, grievances and arbitration, and legislative and political action. To see examples of the gains that libraries have made via AFSCME empowerment, visit the AFSCME website at: http://www.afscme.org/workers/518.cfm.
Under Indiana law, we can be dismissed "at will" by our employer. A union will allow us to work toward negotiating a contract that would take away the threat of an “at will” dismissal, establishing a process that requires documentation and due process for job termination.
We are also witnessing the erosion of our health and retirement benefits. A union will give us the power to negotiate equitable health and retirement benefits, as well as pay raises. Having no union means having no voice in this process.
The hiring and promotion process at MCPL is unpredictable. Some job openings are posted. Other jobs are created through reclassification – a process that benefits only the person reclassified and fails to give anyone else a chance to apply for the position. At times, an employee is awarded a job because of seniority; yet in other cases, an employee may be offered a job despite other qualified applicants who have worked at MCPL longer. A union can put an end to these arbitrary processes. A contract can define specific policies and procedures for fairness in hiring and promotion.
Currently, staff members are not entirely comfortable expressing themselves openly. A union will establish direct lines of communication with administration and the board. It will allow us to express ourselves without fear of repercussion. Not only will staff members be able to share their opinions with union representatives, but they will also have access to a union-negotiated grievance process. A union will work to open up communication and allow the board to see MCPL through our eyes as well as those of administration.
AFSCME and the organizing committee have submitted a resolution to the library board. It defines a process for designating which staff members are eligible for union membership. Staff members should seek out a card from a member of the organizing committee. When you sign a card, you indicate your commitment to union representation at MCPL. When the board approves our resolution, a union will be recognized if a majority of eligible staff members have signed cards.
When you sign a card, your name is not shared with anyone at MCPL. The card is held by AFSCME, and the names of cardholders are not shared with administration. The process is strictly confidential. To obtain and sign a card and take a crucial first step toward workplace respect and empowerment, contact a member of the organizing committee.
For more information, please talk to a member of the organizing committee and/or visit our website: www.mcplunion.org. And congratulations to the staff at Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library! They voted overwhelmingly in favor of unionization on May 23!
Respectfully,
The MCPL Organizing Committee
Laura BentleyLast updated: June 13, 2007
www.mcplunion.org/lettertostaff.html