Forming a union is all about bringing your coworkers together and using your strength in numbers to win improvements.
Start talking to your coworkers about the improvements they would like to see, like fair wages, better benefits, and a say in your working conditions. Let them know that there’s a way to win those improvements.
Be sure to Know Your Rights. All workers in America have the right to form a union. Don’t be intimidated!
Pull Together a Meeting
Once you have a few people interested in joining together, call a meeting with Local 1994 representatives and bring everyone together at someone’s home or a local restaurant. Discuss the issues that you care about and make some commitments to reach out to other coworkers to build your “organizing committee.”
Download the Membership Card and Distribute
Download and print out the membership card and make copies for distribution to your coworkers.
Create a List of Library Workers at your branch and an Outreach Plan
Make a list of non-managers at your location and make a plan to talk to them about joining the union. Decide who is definitely against the union and avoid wasting your time with those folks. Try to reach a majority of employees and have them fill out a membership card.
Call the UFCW Local 1994 Office
Call 301-977-2447 and talk to experienced organizers.
Call and write to your members of Congress
Urge them to pass the Employee Free Choice Act, legislation that will make it simpler to form a union and establish stiff penalties for employers who intimidate and harass their pro-union employees.
Page Last Updated: May 14, 2009 (13:28:41)
ALA-APA and Unions
American
Library Association-Allied Professional Association: the Organization
for the Advancement of Library Employees (ALA-APA) advocates for and
supports library employees in seeking equitable compensation, but
negotiating wages and other compensation must be done at the
institutional level.
ALA-APA cannot do collective
bargaining, so its power to improve wages and benefits is limited. By
being part of a union, library workers gain local allies who can help
to achieve pay equity and better salaries. This is especially important
in public libraries where the union brings greater power to win budget
increases from local governments. Unions are one of many ways library
workers may improve salaries.
Library Workers Collective Bargaining Sponsors
In a move to gain collective bargaining rights for all library workers across Maryland, Local 1994, with the help of Delegate Tom Hucker, is introducing legislation in the 2010 state legislative session that will legislate such rights.
The primary sponsor of the bill in the House is Del. Tom Hucker. The Senate's sponsor is Sen. Nancy King.
In the Md. House of Representatives, Co-sponsors are:
