Sunday marked one week that Toronto Public Library workers have been on strike. To recognize the occasion, The Writers’ Union of Canada hosted a rally and read-in to support CUPE Local 4948 (the Toronto Public Library Workers’ Union). Chris Dart, a reporter with Torontoist, describes the tone at the gathering as one of “cheerful rage.”
After months of negotiations and a number of pushed deadlines, on March 18, TPLWU president Maureen O’Reilly announced that the union could not come to an agreement with the municipal government. The bone of contention, she said, was job security for TPL’s 2,300 library workers. With a significant proportion of staff made up of part-timers, O’Reilly said any deal that doesn’t protect workers from library closures, layoffs, and privatization would leave 70 per cent of TPL employees vulnerable.
All library branches and dropboxes have been closed since March 19, and all library programming and events have been cancelled until further notice. The library has encouraged patrons to keep materials until strike action has ended (late fines will not be charged for the duration of the strike).
The TWUC rally is just one of many events that took place over the past week in support of library workers. Click through the slideshow below for highlights from the week’s strike action.
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- (Photo: TPLWU Local 4948)
- A young library user joins a rally at Nathan Phillips Square, March 23
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- The unseasonably warm weather broke Friday morning as protestors and their supporters gather at Nathan Phillips Square (Photo: TPLWU Local 4948)
- TPLWU supporters rally in the rain, March 23
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- ... instrumental accompaniment (Photo: TPLWU Local 4948)
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- The North York Central Library is one of the many outlying branches that came under the TPL umbrella when Toronto was amalgamated in 1998. Striking employees gather outside the library at Mel Lastman Square (Photo: TPLWU Local 4948)
- Protestors outside the North York Central Library, March 23, 2012
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- Picket lines have also sprung up at the Albion, Northern, and Cedarbrae branches (Photo: TPLWU Local 4948)
- On strike at TPL's Fairview branch, March 23
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- ... puppets (Photo: TPLWU Local 4948)
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- ... storytime (Photo: TPLWU Local 4948)
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- TPL union members set up an information picket in front of the Toronto Reference Library near the corner of Yonge and Bloor Streets (Photo: TPLWU Local 4948)
- TPL workers' picket line, Toronto Reference Library, March 23
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- With a membership made up mostly of women and part-time workers, TPLWU is concerned about gendered income gaps and uncertain work terms (Photo: TPLWU Local 4948)
- CUPE member takes to the street in support of library workers
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- Members of CUPE Local 2998, representing the Association of Community Centres and University Settlement House Workers, throw their support behind the TPLWU (Photo: TPLWU Local 4948)<br />
- Toronto-area unions in solidarity with TPLWU
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- TPLWU Local 4948 president Maureen O'Reilly addresses the crowd in front of Toronto's City Hall in Nathan Phillips Square (Photo: TPLWU Local 4948)
- Maureen O'Reilly at City Hall, March 19
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- Author Douglas Gibson joined TPLWU supporters at TWUC's read-in and rally on Sunday (Photo: TPLWU Local 4948)
- Douglas Gibson at TWUC rally, March 25
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- Supporters were asked to bring their favourite books to the TWUC read-in (Photo: TPLWU Local 4948)
- Favourite books at TWUC's rally in support of TPLWU, March 25
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- In a press release, former TWUC chair, Susan Swan, said, We're supporting the library workers who help library users find the books and information they need, whether they are doing online research or writing a resumé. ... The Internet is a wonderful resource but it can't replace the people who help others use it. (Photo: TPLWU Local 4948)
- Susan Swan at The Writers' Union of Canada read-in and rally for TPLWU, March 25, 2012
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