Bromley/GLL, Cisco (another ethical partner?) & Wimbletech/renting desk space in libraries.

BROMLEY/GLL

Solidarity to Unite members in GLL run Bromley Libraries who've voted (100% on a 87% turn out) to take industrial action. 

"Unite regional officer Onay Kasab said: “There have been continual problems since Bromley’s libraries were privatised and GLL took over from the council.

“Staffing is a major problem, with workers being shipped in from neighbouring boroughs owing to staff shortages."

For some background see;

UNITE THE UNIONRESPONSE TO CONSULTATIONON THE COMMISSIONING OFBROMLEY LIBRARY SERVICE

CISCO

Cisco, the California based systems/networking firm, are planning to provide digital skills training in English public libraries. Manchester Libraries have already partnered with them and the Head of Service of Manchester Libraries just happens to be the President of the Society of Chief Librarians, what a coincidence!

Recently Cisco was involved in a data leak/breach involving job applicants, another perfect partner for public libraries?

WIMBLETECH

David Fletcher, the founder of Wimbletech CIC, was on radio recently talking about why libraries matter. Wimbletech, based in Wimbledon Library, and their library spin-off 'The Workary' rent out desk space to entrepreneurs. 

They claim that they want to work with local councils to transform "under-utilized library space" and to "help libraries increase revenues, footfall, awareness & relevance" They are at this very moment sniffing around the burning embers of a once proud Barnet library service, so just another SocEnt cashing in on the crisis facing public libraries?

For arguments against renting out once public library space to entrepreneurs read me and others in a recent Bookseller article re Forest Hill Community Library which by the way is leased and co-run by V22, an offshore arts org!

Unite the Union - Campaign to save Bromley libraries from privatisation

Yesterday an announcement appeared on the Unite website stating that thousands of households in Bromley would be receiving a booklet outlining the unions concerns about proposals to hand over the boroughs library service to Greenwich Leisure Ltd (GLL).

"Unite, the country’s largest union, will be delivering the booklets to homes as the Tory-controlled council considers comments between now and July made on the consultation over the proposal to award the contract for running the libraries to Greenwich Leisure Limited (GLL)."

I'd advice anyone and everyone to read the booklet as it clearly outlines the issues and concerns that many of us have had regarding GLL since they acquired their first library contract in Greenwich. And solidarity to Onay Kasab (Regional Organiser), Unite members in Greenwich and Bromley and to the community activists there who've been leading a fantastic campaign against cuts, closures and privatisation.

A strike in Bromley and staffless libraries in Canada.

After recently fighting off Carillion (blacklisting builders who run 4 other London library services) Bromley library workers/Unite members, backed by community activists, will now take further action, from April 1st, to stop GLL, and any other private firms bidding for the library contract. 

Unite backed by community activists have led an inspirational campaign against cuts and privatisation. Massive solidarity to them and their inspirational organiser Onay Kasab.

And worrying news from my CUPE comrades in Canada, it seems that the spectre of staffless libraries is about to make an appearance in Toronto.

Maureen O'Reilly the President of Toronto Public Library Workers Union CUPE Local 4948, another inspirational union leader, has raised, just like IMPACT in Ireland and some Unison branches in the UK, safety concerns;

"Under the pilot project, people will be able to enter the library using a swipe card system, likely tied to a library card. Once inside, O’Reilly says, it will be an “empty building” equipped only with security cameras.

O’Reilley says a library without security and without librarians isn’t a library.

“Technology can’t replace staff on the ground with their eyes and ears,” she says. “Having security cameras is not going to be acceptable.”

UNITE and Fight! (and build for the national demo)

Recently out of the depths of the normal library doom and gloom came a real glimmer of light, Unite, the union, shoulder to shoulder with community activists won a victory against Bromley Council and the local volunteer centre, Community Links.


"The ongoing feud over Bromley’s library services took another turn this week, as Community Links Bromley announced it would not be taking over a handful of libraries.
Following strike action in July, Unite has called the move “a significant victory against the fragmentation of the borough’s library service”.
Onay Kasab, from the union, said: “Bromley council’s plans to break-up and run-down a key public service is in disarray. Now the fight is on to keep Bromley’s libraries in public hands, but library workers will be able to campaign as a single united force rather than a fragmented one.
“Workers have been fighting against the cuts and the privatisation since April last year. Many have taken over 30 days of strike action in the long campaign. It’s a testament to their determination.”
http://www.bromleytimes.co.uk/news/unite_hails_significant_victory_as_group_pulls_out_of_community_library_takeovers_1_4696601

Just goes to show what unions, library workers and community activists can achieve when they unite and fight. That's why it's crucial that we build support and solidarity for the national demo on 05/11/16, we need a show of strength with thousands of library workers, library users, library campaigners and community activists marching shoulder to shoulder against the destructive, savage and ideological Austerity and Localism agendas.














Follow on Twitter at @5thNovDemo
Register you interest at https://www.facebook.com/events/282708008768589/?ti=icl
 

Library Workers of the World Strike and Fight!

      

There's a saying in libraryland that if library workers are on strike then things must be really bad, well things are really really really bad!
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For the last 3 or so weeks library workers in Mississauga, Canada, have been striking for a better pay deal and terms and conditions. For the last two years they've been offered 0.5% and with 50% of the library workforce on part-time contracts with no holiday or sick allowances their union branch CUPE Local 1989 decided emough was enough and brought their members out. With wonderful support from their local community and library users they've managed to secure a better deal albeit a tentative one.







Their CUPE Local 4948 comrades in Toronto, lead by the wonderful Maureen O'Reilly, won a similar battle earlier in the year.




Library workers in Bromley started a weeks strike action on 16/7/16 against the mass privatisation and amateurisation of their service. With 87% YES vote in a ballot and a brilliantly organised community campaign they're taking the fight directly to the doors of the hard-right Bromley Council which seems more interested in investing money in commercial property than properly funding statutory services! The strike culminates in a March through Bromley on 23/7/16.
 


Library workers in Lewisham also took strike action recently and held a magnificent march in which i was proud and honoured to be asked to speak at. They went on strike to try and stop the Council from making more cuts and handing their libraries over to volunteers, a disastrous policy which has resulted in drops in usage at the existing volunteer -led 'libraries' of 60-90%.

 


And not forgetting my comrades at Barnet and Lambeth Unison who're still leading magnificent campaigns/strikes/marches/protests/occupations etc against cuts and privatisation.

Bromley Unite Save our Services March 23/7/16

Solidarity to Lambeth, Greenwich and Bromley Library Workers!

This week library workers in Lambeth (Unison), Greenwich (Unite) and Bromley (Unite) have all taken strike action against cuts, privatisation and paid/trained staff being replaced by volunteers.

On Monday Lambeth Unison was successful in bringing out it's members and closing all libraries in the borough. This is part of a long running dispute over cuts to the service and proposals to turn 3 libraries into "bookish gyms" run by Greenwich Leisure Ltd (GLL)




Greenwich library workers on 4 day strike to oppose the closure of mobile library service (run by GLL)

Bromley and Greenwich library staff on strike amid potential cuts

http://m.newsshopper.co.uk/news/14264237.Bromley_and_Greenwich_library_staff_on_strike_amid_potential_cuts/

Bromley & Greenwich library strikes

10 February 2016

Libaries in Bromley were closed as a result of Unite's members industrial action and Unite is also mobilising its members in Greenwich. There was a great turnout of striking members outside of Bromley South station, which was followed with a rally and march along the high street.

- See more at: http://www.unitetheunion.org/how-we-help/listofregions/londonandeastern/londoneasternnews/bromley--greenwich-library-strikes/#sthash.NbzpsTUt.dpuf