This year has been a difficult one for library workers. Many of us are feeling under attack in more ways than one. Between assaults on our institutions & values from the federal government, and the day to day stress of public service, well, it’s real, we see you and we feel it too. We are honored to be working with AFSCME District Councils 66 & 37 to advance NYS Assembly Bill a.6903, the Library Workplace Violence Prevention Act.
Public library workers who are employed at libraries that are municipal entities are currently covered under NYS Labor Law Article 2, Section 27-b as public employees. Even so, many libraries in New York State including the three library systems in NYC are non-profit Association Libraries independent of a municipal entity. Those library workers do not have the same workplace violence protections as their public employee colleagues.
On top of that, the stipulations in 27-b are not designed for libraries, whose policies need to be sensitive to the needs of patrons who may need community outreach, physical and mental healthcare referrals, and other forms of support. This bill will close that gap in protections for library workers, and expand those protections in a way that is tailored for the unique risks present in public library service. A6903 will ensure that all public libraries have to think about their safety and implement common sense security measures to protect their workers.
On this National Library Workers Day, we are proud to support this legislation that would provide a structure to care for public library workers facing situations that they did not sign up for, and haven’t been trained to handle. Libraries work because we do, so let’s make sure that library workers are provided with the tools they need to be safe on the job.
Let us know if you want to help! Contact us to sign up here.
In Solidarity,
All of us at ULU
