Union-busting in Ohio public libraries is insulting and wasteful

In 2021, my co-workers at Worthington Libraries and I formed our union. We took this step because it was the only way to make lasting improvements on workplace issues like parental leave and occupational health and safety. Since then, we’ve watched with joy as more central Ohio library systems – Grandview Heights, Pickerington, Upper Arlington – have followed in our footsteps. 

Prior to forming our union, our administration formed a committee – the Culture Club – with the goal of improving workplace culture and morale, but ultimately refused to improve workplace policies that were inadequate or non-existent, like our paid leave policies. The most positive change that came out of the Culture Club was the ability to wear jeans. 

When the pandemic started, the Culture Club was quietly retired and virtual weekly Town Halls began. At one of these Town Halls, we asked questions and gave feedback about health and safety because we were concerned about how the library was operating while COVID was raging and there was no vaccine to protect us. Our questions and feedback were not appreciated. The next day, we got an email that equated those questions and concerns with insubordination.

We were not ready to give up. We love our library system, we love working with each other, and we love serving our community. That’s why we committed to forming our union. 

Library workers are intrinsically well researched. It’s part of our mission to fight fake news and help provide library patrons with factual information. In the process of unionizing we were all eager to do our own research and find credible sources. Through this research we learned that dozens of Ohio library systems have unions; that workplaces with unions have higher pay and better benefits than workplaces without unions; that we, the workers, would make all the decisions about what to fight for in a union contract; and that unions and libraries share a commitment to equity and democracy.

It’s because library workers take research so seriously that it is so offensive when administrators or Board members try to convince library workers that they don’t need a union, as is currently happening at the Upper Arlington Public Library. 

At Worthington Libraries, our Board of Trustees decided not to recognize our union despite having signed union cards from 70% of eligible employees. To their credit though, they pledged to remain neutral and stuck to that throughout our union election. It was obvious there was no stopping this tidal wave and they made the responsible decision not to waste public money on an anti-union campaign. 

When an overwhelming majority of employees at a public entity come forward in support of a union, that entity’s leadership should either voluntarily recognize the union (as the Board of Trustees at Grandview Heights Public Library did) or take a neutral stance. This prevents any public funding, resources, or administrative staff time from being used to persuade, intimidate, or obfuscate in opposition to a union – practices commonly known as “union-busting.”  

At the Upper Arlington Public Library, workers have been made to watch anti-union videos from their Director explaining why workers don’t actually want or need a union. They are essentially being told that they didn’t do enough research, that they signed union cards without understanding what that meant. In an even more inappropriate move, the Board President took advantage of the library’s email list to send one-sided information about why he believes there is no need for a union. Rather than listening to their workers, the Director and Board of Trustees at UAPL have decided to ignore and gaslight them.  

What are they afraid of? At Worthington Libraries we’ve been able to make changes that are positive for workers, for administration, and for patrons. We now have an open flow of communication between our union and our director. This includes monthly labor/management meetings where questions can be asked, concerns can be raised, and mutually beneficial solutions can be implemented. 

For example, working in the circulation department can be physically brutal. There is heavy lifting and frequent bending. This can exacerbate existing medical conditions or lead to injuries. At a recent labor/management meeting, we brought up these concerns and received a commitment from management to look into this and work together to improve workplace safety. We’ll be able to revisit this topic in future meetings to ensure that we’re making progress. 

We also were able to reduce turnover by providing or improving vital benefits such as paid parental leave. When I was pregnant, not only did we lack paid parental leave, but our workplace policy only allowed us to use FMLA leave after we exhausted our sick and vacation leave. When I came back to work, my mom was diagnosed with cancer and as I had depleted my leave bank to have my child, I struggled to take her to appointments while my leave time built back up. Now, we’re entitled to 6 weeks of paid parental leave and fewer staff will feel like they need to find a new job before they grow their family. 

These are the types of positive changes that library workers want to see. When we come together in a strong majority to form a union, our directors and boards should respect that decision and eschew any anti-union campaigning. Ohio’s taxpayers and library patrons expect to see library funds used to provide information, resources, and public services to our communities rather than on union-busting. 

Carol Veach is a Library Associate at Worthington Libraries and a member of Worthington Public Libraries United, Ohio Federation of Teachers Local 6606.