REGINA: Regina Public Library workers represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees will begin full strike action tomorrow morning at the Central Library and all branches after a series of rotating job actions held over the last two weeks failed to produce an agreement.
Our actions to date have not convinced the Library Board to address our issues of creating a health plan and ending gender-based wage discrimination, says Rosemary Oddie, acting president of CUPE Local 1594. Its our hope that full scale strike action will send the message to the Regina Public Library Board that we are serious, and were not going to back down.
The 180 library workers have been without a contract since December 31, 2000. The decision to proceed with a full strike was made after negotiations with management broke off late last week. No further talks are scheduled.
Managements inaction indicates to us that they are willing to accept discrimination, inequality, and double standards, says Oddie. Our message to the Library Board is that a fair resolution to these issues is long overdue.
The unions members are employed as librarians, library assistants, clerks, pages, library technicians, computer operators and maintenance staff. At a February 11 meeting, the union membership voted 84% in favour of taking job action.
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For more information contact:
Rosemary Oddie, Acting President, CUPE Local 1594,
347-2215
or Mike Keith, CUPE National Representative
525-5874 or 536-4856