Union threatens legal action against city unless safety improved at Millennium Library

CBC

6 days ago

The union representing workers at Winnipeg's Millennium Library is demanding safety changes and considering legal action against the city after a man jumped to his death last week — the second suicide there in the past eight years.
"This really has a toll on the people that are using the facility. It's traumatic. And these kinds of incidents shouldn't continue to happen," said Gord Delbridge, president of Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 500, which reresents library workers.
"There should be measures put in place to make every means necessary to try to address these concerns."
The union is consulting with its legal department about pursuing action unless the city commits to improve the situation, Delbridge said, but didn't elaborate on what that action might look like.
CBC News reached out to the City of Winnipeg for comment but has not yet received a response.
Delbridge said the 40-year-old man who died by suicide on Aug. 6 jumped over the railing on the fourth-floor to the ground. It's the same general area where another man, a 25-year-old, jumped in 2017.
The railings are about stomach-high for the average person. Otherwise the balconies are wide open with no barriers.
In addition to seeing prevention measures put in place on the balconies, Delbridge wants to see the Community Connections space, which had been staffed with crisis workers, reopened.
The city's 2025 budget did not include funding for the space on the main level of the library, which closed at the end of last year.
"There's a lot of vulnerable people that are utilizing the library services," he said. "Having the Community Connection space would most certainly be helpful."
The closure of the community hub was followed by a surge in concerning incidents at the library. From January to March, there were 309 safety and security incidents, compared with 183 during the same period the year before, a 68.9 per cent increase.
Although library funding is a municipal issue, Delbridge has been in contact with the province about contributing support to the community connection space.
"We had some very productive conversations and I think it's understood that this is needed in the downtown core and especially at the library," he said.
"And I think it's realized that different levels of government need to come together and work together to address some of the concerns that we're seeing in society now."
The city should also stop using private contracted security guards at the library and instead employ community safety officers trained in identifying and dealing with people struggling with mental health issues, Delbridge said.
Another issue is the current lobby layout, which is too open at the entrance, he said. There have been some proposals on narrowing the access points to improve sightlines for security and library personnel.
CUPE is also planning to survey its members at the library for their feedback on what needs to be done to improve things.
"They know their workplace best [and] their input is absolutely crucial," Delbridge said. "It's important that the elected officials hear what they've got to say."
The union is consulting with its legal department about pursuing action unless the city commits to improve the situation, Delbridge said, but didn't elaborate on what that action might look like.
We need to make sure the employees rights are protected, he said.
"When these type of incidents happen time and time again — this is a health and safety issue. Nobody should have to be reporting to work in an environment where … traumatic incidents are happening on a day-to-day basis. That's gotta stop."