Contact: Chelsey Engel, cengel@usw.org, 412-562-2446
(Pittsburgh)—A group of Pittsburgh community members delivered a petition to the Carnegie Library todayin support of the workers’ efforts to unionize with the United Steelworkers.
The petition, delivered to the main Oakland branch and the East Liberty location, includes over 1,000 signatures calling upon the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh to release a statement of neutrality towards the United Library Workers’ unionization efforts and act in good faith.
"The staff at the library in my community are incredibly knowledgeable and helpful, and they should be able to collectively bargain for better working conditions without resistance or pressure from anti-union law firms," said Jessica Benham of Pittsburgh’s South Side Slopes, who participated in today’s action. "Because at the end of the day, these workers share the same goal as their employer—to serve the community and help improve people’s lives and access to resources.”
The Teamsters and SEIU currently represent the Carnegie Library’s drivers and environmental service workers. This new organizing effort includes all 350 remaining eligible unrepresented staff across 19 public branches and the library support center. The workers hope to gain a seat at the table when it comes to making decisions that affect their patrons as well as their own jobs.
“We need to be able to help make responsible decisions about the services and collections we provide,” said Rachel Masilamani, a part-time librarian at the Downtown and Business branch. “I believe a union will strengthen our voices and our position in serving our communities.”
The petition, launched after the official campaign announcement last month, calls for the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh to “not spend public resources on anti-union consultants or anything that could be construed as anti-union activity.” It also demands they maintain a neutral environment, free of harassment and intimidation, to refrain from holding mandatory captive audience meetings, and to respect the library workers’ right to form a union.
The USW represents workers in North America employed in many industries that include metals, rubber, chemicals, paper, oil refining and the service and public sectors.