GRAND FORKS— Public library worker Jon Sterlind celebrated his 70th birthday on the picket line with his co-workers. They celebrated with cake and hot dogs around the fire barrel. Locked out on January 20, Jon and his four fellow CUPE 2254 members have been outside the library since refusing the employers demand they return to work under a set of proposals that would gut their collective agreement.
What is Jon wishing for? Not much, but he would like his employer (the director of the library board) to “get back to the table so we can get back to work.” He added, “it’s not about the money, it’s about earning our money the right way - working in the public library for Grand Forks.” Jon, who has been at the library for 19 years, said he’s also thinking about gardening, but that’s still at least three months away in Grand Forks.