Saskatoon Public Library workers initiate one-day strike

Saskatoon Public Library (SPL) workers will be picketing Tuesday as part of a full-day strike. 

Accoring to CUPE 2669, the union representing roughly 270 public library employees in Saskatoon, workers have fully withdrawn all services and will be picketing at the Frances Morrison Central Library downtown. 

The union says speeches will take place at City Hall as part of a rally at lunch hour. 

Last Thursday, the union said it gave management five days to get back to the bargaining table. It’s been without a deal since June 2023.

In an emailed response, the SPL said it was informed there would be a work stoppage on Tuesday, and that staff would return to work on Wednesday.

“Ongoing job action could take many forms,” SPL said in the statement. “Since CUPE 2669 is not required to inform SPL of the specific nature of the job action, we may be unable to give advance notice to patrons if library services are disrupted.”

The union had reached a tentative agreement with library management in September, after the involvement of a government-appointed mediator, but the deal was voted down by members.

Last week, SPL said it's “disappointed” that CUPE 2669 members rejected the deal, which it says included fair and reasonable wage increases and measures to address staff safety concerns.

CUPE says library staff are regularly left to work alone at each service point, leaving them vulnerable, as many have faced violence on the job.

Violence at work has been an ongoing concern in recent years.

A 2022 CUPE survey of public library staff, primarily from Saskatoon and Regina, found that half of them have experienced violence at work, nearly half have been subjected to threats of physical harm, 71 per cent have witnessed violence, and 78 per cent have been verbally abused.

In Saskatoon, two branches were forced to close for several weeks in 2022 because staff no longer felt safe at work. CUPE says staff refused to work in the branches because one staff member was punched in the face.

“Library staff and patrons deserve changes that make them feel safe at the library,” CUPE representative Katherine Norton said in the statement.

Tuesday's strike is expected to end around 5 p.m. with speeches at City Hall happening from noon until 2 p.m. 

-With files from Rory MacLean