Latest news with #ChristinaOrdonez
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Salt Lake City library workers officially unionize, move to bargain ahead of ban
SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) — Employees at the Salt Lake City Public Library have become the first library workers in Utah to gain formal union recognition. According to a press release from the Local 1004 American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME), 92% of the employees at the SLC library voted to unionize. The election was held on April 30 and May 1. This comes after employees began the campaign in April 2023. 'We as workers are looking forward to negotiating our first contract,' Christina Ordonez, associate librarian, is quoted in the release. 'We've always been here for our community, and we finally have the tools to advocate for ourselves and for each other.' In January, the Salt Lake City Public Library Board approved a resolution to recognize the union. On Feb. 5, 2024, the Salt Lake City Council met to approve the employees' right to unionize, the vote passed unanimously. PREVIOUSLY: Salt Lake City approves Utah's first library union amidst controversy on Capitol Hill 'To our Salt Lake City librarians and staff, we are so excited for this opportunity for each and every one of you. You deserve this, so thank you for fighting and bringing this forward,' Council Member Sarah Young said at the time of the resolution being approved. Brad Asay, executive director for AFSCME Local 1004, spoke to ABC4 about what went into forming this union. 'A lot of work with attorneys, a lot of work with different entities to make sure everyone is on the same page,' Asay said. 'It was a two-year process, so it took quite a bit of work to get here.' H.B. 267 concerns H.B. 267, Public Sector Labor Union Amendments, 'prohibits a public employer from recognizing a labor organization as a bargaining agent for public employees,' according to the bill's text. This would prevent public sector unions — like the new Salt Lake City Public Library Workers Union — from organizing for collective bargaining. More than 320k Utahns sign referendum to appeal labor union bill, double the required amount While Asay says there is concern regarding H.B. 267, the referendum signatures will likely put a block on the bill going into effect. Those signatures are currently being verified. 'There are so many public workers affected by this bill — our amazing library workers of course, teachers, firefighters, police, and the thousands of city employees across the state, the people who keep your water and sewer systems running, who clear your streets of snow, who keep your neighborhoods safe, and ensure your city functions smoothly. All these workers are who lawmakers are trying to silence — workers who deserve a say in their training, safety, and working conditions,' AFSCME 1004 President Jerry Philpot said about H.B. 267 in the release. Despite concerns regarding H.B. 267, the union employees are looking forward to exercising their new abilities as a recognized union. Asay says that a lot of the support that got them to where they are today is thanks to the SLC community. 'We just really appreciate all of the support that the public workers have had,' Asay shared. 'It was a huge amount of support from the Salt Lake community… all of us in the union and all the library workers really appreciate that support.' Latest headlines: Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah.
Yahoo
05-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Salt Lake City librarians officially unionize, but likely referendum to determine next steps
Despite potential headwinds from a new state law barring public collective bargaining agreements, which is now likely headed for the ballot, Salt Lake City librarians made Utah history this week by voting to unionize. A whopping 92% of Salt Lake City Public Library employees voted to unionize during a formal vote that wrapped up on Thursday, union officials said on Friday. They now join the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees Local 1004, which represents many other Salt Lake City employees, setting up negotiations for what could be the first-of-its-kind collective bargaining agreement in the state — should HB267 be overturned. 'We, as workers, are looking forward to negotiating our first contract. We've always been here for our community, and we finally have the tools to advocate for ourselves and for each other,' said Christina Ordonez, a Salt Lake City associate librarian, in a statement after the votes were tallied. The city library system 'respects and affirms' the election results, Noah Baskett, CEO of The Salt Lake City Public Library, said after the results were announced. 'This moment reflects a renewed and shared commitment — by our employees and our leadership — to continue to be a workplace rooted in dignity, fairness and respect. I deeply appreciate the thoughtfulness and care with which our staff have engaged in this process,' he added in a statement. This week's vote marked the end of a long process that first went public over two years ago. Over 60% of the city's workforce is represented by various unions, but city librarians were the largest department not unionized at the time staff revealed their intent to form one in April 2023. Employees said at the time they wanted to resolve 'long-standing issues' related to the job, including safety concerns, below-average wages, inaccessible or expensive health care, and exclusion from decisions made by library system leaders. Their request sparked lengthy negotiation efforts, which ended with the Salt Lake City Public Library board of directors voting in December 2024 to allow employees to unionize, and the Salt Lake City Council voting in February of this year to create a collective bargaining structure process should employees unionize. They're now the first public library union in the state, following the recent vote. 'This is a historic moment not just for Salt Lake City, but for the entire state of Utah,' said Jerry Philpot, president of the local union chapter. 'Library workers have always served their community with dedication, and now they will finally have a voice at the table to ensure their workplace is fair, safe and sustainable.' However, it's unclear how those negotiations will play out because of HB267, which bans collective bargaining in the public sector, among other things related to public unions. It was slated to go into effect in July, but groups opposed to it collected enough signatures on a referendum to put it up for a public vote. Once finalized by the state, the legislation will be held before going on the 2026 ballot. Unionization may not factor into the library's upcoming budget, but the system plans to pay employees 'equitably and competitively' based on the results of a compensation study carried out by a third-party company, Baskett told Salt Lake City leaders last month. He added at the time that library staff had been 'in close conversation' with union lawyers over the next steps. Next year's likely referendum will ultimately play a role in the future steps. 'We are moving forward in the hopes that Utahns will vote in the best interests of their public workers,' Philpot said. 'This isn't just about union rights. It's about protecting the people who serve our communities every single day.'
