Howard County library employees vote to form union

Feb. 16—By Sherry Greenfield — sgreenfield@baltsun.com

PUBLISHED:February 16, 2024 at 3:29 p.m.| UPDATED:February 20, 2024 at 12:46 p.m.

An overwhelming majority of workers with the Howard County Library System voted this week to form a union, in an effort to advocate for better pay, job protection and safe working conditions.

The workers voted, 151-19, in favor of joining the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Maryland Council 3 union after a four-day vote that ended Thursday.

Earlier this month, 20 pro-labor legislators gathered with members of six unions to show support for three bills that would — if passed — extend the right to unionize and collectively bargain to Maryland workers who are currently ineligible. The Library Workers Empowerment Act, House Bill 609 and Senate Bill 591 would allow librarians at public libraries to unionize and participate in collective bargaining.

Howard County library employees gained the right in 2013, when the General Assembly passed legislation allowing them to collectively bargain.

In November the Anne Arundel County Public Library board of trustees rejected a voluntary recognition proposal from the majority of library workers, who wished to form a union by joining AFSCME.

The newly proposed state legislation would grant libraries in the rest of Maryland's jurisdictions, rather than legislating county-by-county, the ability to unionize.

Howard County Library Workers United will consist of about 200 eligible full-time and part-time library staff across the county's seven branches.

"Victory for our union is a victory for Howard County residents," Cherise Tasker, instructor and research specialist with the county's library system, stated in an AFSCME news release Thursday. "In many ways, library workers are first responders, since we are a free educational and supportive resource for all. Many of our customers primarily turn to us for information. The union will allow staff members to have real input into making decisions that benefit the community that has entrusted us to be careful stewards of public dollars."

Tonya Aikens, president and chief executive officer for the Howard County Library System, said in an emailed statement that she was pleased that library employees have the right to unionize.

"We look forward to working with AFSCME to benefit our team and our community," Aikens said.

According to its 2022 annual report, the library system has an annual operating budget of more than $25 million and has 232,367 cardholders who borrowed more than 4 million items.

The library system staff announced last October its intention to form a union. The Howard County Library Workers United stated in a release last year that it wanted the right to advocate for fair wages, job protection, and address issues such as adequate staffing, paths to promotions, reasonable work schedules and safe working environments.

"This union will benefit all HCLS employees, because it will offer staff at all levels a path to contribute their expertise, thoughts, needs, and ideas to the continued operation of the library," the release states. "Our union will be an independent, accountable, and democratically-governed body, dedicated to the rights and well-being of all workers.

"We will champion the values of fairness, dignity, respect, and empathy for our community members and staff," they stated.

Library staff credited their co-workers in Thursday's news release.

"My talented and dedicated coworkers amaze me every day with their passion towards serving each member of our community," Piyali Callahan, an instructor and research specialist said. "They inspire me to be better and do better. Organizing our union with them so that we can have a seat at the table where impactful decisions are being made about how we serve the community has been fantastic."

Callahan said the workers feel that they now have a voice.

"We work with our community on a daily basis," she said. "We see them, we hear their stories, we work with them, we work for them. We know their needs, and we have long wanted to be part of the decision-making so that we can convey those needs to our administration. And now with this victory, we can finally have a voice."

Mawii Clyde, an acquisitions specialist, stated that the union wants to convey a message of diversity, equity and inclusion.

"Our union is not separate from HCLS, because as HCLS employees, we are a big part of what makes up HCLS," Clyde said. "I look forward to the day we can feel heard and appreciated by library leadership. We all want the same thing, which is to provide a quality service to our community, but that can only happen when we are united."

Megan Royden, an instructor and research specialist said that she is "thrilled" to celebrate the union's formation.

"It has been an inspiration seeing how strong a team we make when we have the power to collaborate and let our voices be heard," she said. "Library staff are committed every day to providing the best service we can to our customers and that quality will only continue to grow as we improve our working environment and become directly involved with decision-making that will benefit our community."

Howard County's library staff joins those in Baltimore, Montgomery and Prince George's counties who have already been granted the right to organize.

"We are excited to see the dedicated workers of the Howard County Library System choose to join our union, AFSCME Maryland," Patrick Moran, president of AFSCME Maryland Council 3 stated in the news release. "Now, they join our movement of over 45,000 other workers represented by AFSCME Maryland who are advocating for the fair pay, strong benefits, and safe working conditions that those who provide essential public services to our communities deserve."

Share this:

— Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)

— Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)

—