Librarians to vote on taking strike action (From This is Hampshire)
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Southampton librarians to vote on taking strike action
7:20am Wednesday 12th May 2010 in News
Southampton librarians to vote on taking strike action
LIBRARIANS across Southampton are being balloted on strike action over Tory plans to replace them with volunteers.
A walkout could see the closure of most of the city’s 11 libraries as two thirds of the 95 or so staff are members of the union proposing action.
Unison said it was objecting to plans by the ruling Tory group to replace six full-time staff with volunteers.
The union claims that will mean at least one of the city’s libraries being run entirely by volunteers.
Unison regional organiser Andy Straker said: “There is real anger from our members over this issue. They feel that management and councillors are devaluing their skills and experience.
“The fact that they believe they can just take people off the street to do our members’ work is an insult.
“Our members have given years of service to Southampton City Council and to be treated in this way is a disgrace. We believe that the inevitable consequences of these actions will be a worsening in service to the public.”
He added: “if the council needs to make savings by cutting wages and employing volunteers then I suggest they start with councillors.”
Library boss councillor John Hannides said the introduction of a new self-booking system to allow borrowers to check out and reserve their own books, CDs and DVDs, reduced the need for the same level of trained librarians.
He added: “This ballot is symbolic of how unions will stand in the way of modernisation. I regret any kind of action that may damage our services.”
The council spent £468,000 rolling out self-service machines to six libraries.
The council claims they will free up librarians to offer people one-to-one help, while axing seven and a half full time equivalent library posts will save it £137,000.
The plans have come under attack from some borrowers, particularly the elderly, who want real people to help them rather than machines.
The industrial action ballot will run from May 17 until June 7.
Comments(14)
Condor Man
says...
8:23am Wed 12 May 10
My View from the Hill
says...
8:32am Wed 12 May 10
Iw61 wrote:This is the first of many cuts, this Tory controlled council will make.
“This ballot is symbolic of how unions will stand in the way of modernisation. I regret any kind of action that may damage our services.”
How very 'modern, sacking librarians and replacing them with 'volunteers'.
Maybe this is the 'idealogical' future Samuels goes on about. What next, volunteers on the dustcarts?
I am counting the days till the next council elections.
I don't think volunteers will want to work in libraries on some of the estates in the city,so they will simple close them down, Alec Samuels and Royston Smith's glove puppet John Hannides, will say this when he shuts the first library
"I couldn't get volunteers to run it, therefore the people didn't want it" mark my words .
Local councillors should take public transport (instead of cars and taxi's) to get to meetings in their wards and the Civic Centre, £40 a month buys them a freedom bus pass for travel within the city, not only would that save a fair few bob in expenses, but it will also show support for public transport operators and show first hand them what the cities electorate has to go through to get into work in the morning.
News Fanatic
says...
8:46am Wed 12 May 10
Biligili
says...
8:46am Wed 12 May 10
bitternedave
says...
8:55am Wed 12 May 10
Lone Ranger
says...
8:55am Wed 12 May 10
Brite Spark
says...
8:59am Wed 12 May 10
Iain
says...
12:45pm Wed 12 May 10
Iw61
says...
4:37pm Wed 12 May 10
Condor Man wrote:We will shoulder it collectively through decent public services. If economies are to be made the council have messed their own nest by employing overpaid consultants.
perhaps you'll shoulder the financal burden of the increased council tax that Im not prepared to pay for services I do not use.
Stop thinking of yourself for a change!!
Rob444
says...
4:54pm Wed 12 May 10
It makes us wonder what the CONdems have in store for us all now that they are running OUR country.
Rob444
says...
5:00pm Wed 12 May 10
Union bashers should remember that.
Biligili
says...
6:58am Thu 13 May 10
Rob444 wrote:Well said
Their jobs today. Tomorrow it could be YOURS that's under threat. Union bashers should remember that.
dlad2002
says...
1:57pm Mon 24 May 10
Iain wrote:This is one of the biggest problems with stereotypies...they aren't true. I've worked in Libraries all my life. We aren't old ladies (some of us aren't even Ladies!). I'm so upset by this....my life time of work means nothing. All the hours I've spent helping people find not only something good to read, but where they can get good information about health and legal issues is for nothing. Libraries are vibrant places where people come in their droves to use the facilites....you can't run huge facilites without paying people to work at them! We should be supporting our libraries not trying to shut them...and that is exactly what is being done. Libraries are going to be shut because of this and it is a crime to humanity!!!
I'd love to see a librarian picket line. Thirty ladies with their glasses on a chain chanting "ssh" at passers by.
Iw61 says...
8:13am Wed 12 May 10
How very 'modern, sacking librarians and replacing them with 'volunteers'.
Maybe this is the 'idealogical' future Samuels goes on about. What next, volunteers on the dustcarts?
I am counting the days till the next council elections.