Growing income gap “the untold story” at the public library

The untold story at the public library.

CUPE library worker Sue Emson

There is a story about the Saskatoon Public Library that needs to be told. It involves the growing gap between those who make a good living working at the library and those who struggle to make ends meet.

CUPE library workers are struggling to make ends meet

Library managers received big increases:

Fix the pay problem for CUPE library workers

In 2007-08, the Saskatoon Public Library’s managers and non-union support staff received big compensation increases that averaged 34 per cent. For example: *

The library board fixed the pay problem for managers. It is time they did the same for CUPE library workers.

In contrast, most CUPE members at the Saskatoon Public Library are paid considerably less than other library workers in Regina — or even western Canada. One of every three earns about $10 or less an hour and receives few if any benefits. As well, some librarians with Master’s degrees earn less than non-union administrative support staff at the library.

• Payment to the Library Director rose 23.1 per cent to $134,064.

CUPE wants the library board to establish a minimum wage of $12 an hour and provide pay increases of 15 per cent over three years.

• Payment to the Pay and Benefits Co-ordinator increased 52.5 per cent.

Urge the Library Board to negotiate a decent increase. It’s overdue.

By 2011, most of the library managers received more than $90,000 a year. * Based on information obtained through the City of Saskatoon Public Accounts

For more information: readallaboutus.net

Presented by CUPE 2669 members at the Saskatoon Public Library

Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook

Growing income gap “the untold story” at the public library

Published on Nov 1, 2012

Canadian Union of Public Employees

The untold story at the Saskatoon Public Library involves the growing gap between those who make a good living working at the library and those who struggle to make ends meet. About one third of the 250 CUPE library workers earn $10 or less an hour, while nearly all of the library’s managers are paid more than $90,000 a year. The library director received more than $134,500 in 2011. The big compensation increases for library managers and out-of-scope administrative staff came in 2007-2008, when the library board provided increases that averaged 34 per cent. CUPE library workers received increases of 4 per cent that year. “We have no quarrel with out-of-scope staff getting paid what they are worth,” says Sue Emson, a member of the union negotiating committee. “But we want the library board to fix the pay inequities facing everyone else – the silent 93 per cent.”