Over 300 unionized library workers in the Fraser Valley could be locked out of their jobs Friday unless they reach an agreement with their employer.
On Tuesday, the Fraser Valley Regional Library (FVRL) reportedly issued a 72-hour lockout notice to CUPE 1698 members who work in library service roles across the region.
The union says community members who rely on their local libraries will lose access to the critical support they provide.
“This is an unprovoked attack on library workers and the communities we serve,” said Laurie Dyck, President of CUPE 1698.
“CEO Scott Hargrove and the Library’s Board of Directors have chosen to escalate this dispute instead of sitting down to negotiate a fair agreement. They are threatening to suspend library services in an effort to force workers to accept a contract that falls short of regional standards. Their decision will hurt workers, families, and some of the most vulnerable members of our communities.”
She says she’s disappointed by the lockout notice, given that the union had recently told its employers it would accept all aspects of its offer except the three-year term.
“FVRL rejected that proposal and instead countered with a revised offer that is lower than agreements already reached by other workers in the region,” the union said.
Dyck says a potential lockout shuts down dialogue and shifts the consequences onto library patrons, where it doesn’t belong.
“That’s a reckless decision and a display of poor leadership. There is still time for FVRL’s leadership to step back from escalation and choose a different path,” she said.
1130 NewsRadio has reached out to the Fraser Valley Regional Library for comment.
The FVRL is B.C.’s biggest public library system, claiming to serve over 928,000 people across 25 branches in 15 municipalities.