Comments on: What the Chief Librarians said to the campaigners … https://www.publiclibrariesnews.com/2013/05/what-the-chief-librarians-said-to-the-campaigners.html What's happening to your library? Thu, 02 May 2013 22:13:59 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.3 By: Trevor Craig https://www.publiclibrariesnews.com/2013/05/what-the-chief-librarians-said-to-the-campaigners.html#comment-5747 Thu, 02 May 2013 21:01:14 +0000 http://www.publiclibrariesnews.com/?p=4790#comment-5747 “It was interesting as to how the debate has moved on from an abhorrence of volunteer libraries to one that accepts them as something that is here to stay and need to be coped with the best they can”

The debate may have changed slightly but I’m still 100% against volunteers replacing paid staff in libraries, it save little money, in my opinion isn’t sustainable and it guts the front line of the library service. There is little point laboring this point with the SCL as I don’t expect to be able to change their view, despite their view only having their experience to back it up rather than any solid evidence base.

I’m not sure what volunteers would get from paying to join a union, the unions don’t seem to be doing a great job of protecting the low paid library managers and assistants who are becoming a endangered species in libraries. If it were teaching assistant jobs at stake the entire teaching profession would be out on the streets, I cannot understand why the librarians are so quiet.

]]> By: Martyn https://www.publiclibrariesnews.com/2013/05/what-the-chief-librarians-said-to-the-campaigners.html#comment-5746 Thu, 02 May 2013 08:54:04 +0000 http://www.publiclibrariesnews.com/?p=4790#comment-5746 “It was interesting as to how the debate has moved on from an abhorrence of volunteer libraries to one that accepts them as something that is here to stay and need to be coped with the best they can”

This is precisely why volunteers/ unpaid library staff should be actively encouraged to join Unite Community Union.
Although unpaid, they will have issues which relate directly to their conditions of (unpaid) employment, such as Health and Safety, unfair dismissal, expenses and training. Volunteers and unpaid staff also need to be able to co-ordinate their activities in defence of their local libraries against further cuts in provision.

Unite Community Union exists to provide unwaged people the benefits of Trade Union membership.
http://www.unitetheunion.org/growing-our-union/communitymembership/

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