NSUPE is happy to welcome library workers at the Cumberland Public Libraries as our new local 24. They join library workers from Halifax Public Library (HPL) and Annapolis Valley Regional Library (AVRL).
The key moment in the organizing campaign came when the provincial government announced budget cuts across the province. Operational funding for public libraries has not increased since 2020 and emergency funding that was given to library boards over the past few years was not renewed in the recent budget. To address this shortfall, workers decided to unionize.
“I believe in sending a unified message to the government of Nova Scotia and that our libraries are worth more than what our elected officials see on a balance sheet,” said Leslie Allen, one of the workplace organizers. “By unifying with workers fromour partner organizations in HPL and AVRL, under the NSUPE banner, we can better represent our patrons, communities, and library staff to the province and advocate for a better future for all.”
NSUPE President, Christina Covert welcomed the new members of Local 24.
“Your decision to unionize and come together with NSUPE strengthens our collective voice and our shared commitment to fairness, respect, and dignity in the workplace. I look forward to working with you, not just within your workplace, but to strengthen libraries across Nova Scotia.”
NSUPE represents over 400 library workers at Halifax Public Library, Annapolis Valley Regional Library, and now Cumberland Public Libraries. If you are a library worker in Nova Scotia and want to join the movement to defend public libraries, click here to contact a union organizer.