Greenwich library staff strike against privatisation

 

26 April Unite in Greenwich libraries are on strike from Friday 27th April to Tuesday 1st May. A further day is planned for 11th May.

The strike is against the planned sell-off of the library service to Greenwich Leisure Limited (GLL). According to the Unite website, "The council wants to transfer all its library services to GLL, where staff are already on poorer pay and conditions and do not receive the London Living Wage of £8.30 an hour. GLL has said it intends to "harmonise" terms and conditions in the near future which has led our members to believe it will lead to a race to the bottom - harmonising to the poorer conditions."

The library workers are former members of Greenwich Unison, which was taken into regional supervision in 2009 following the campaign to 'Defend the Four'.
Regional supervision sharply curtailed branch activity at a time when council workers were facing severe cuts from management, prompting the exodus of library and grounds keeping staff to Unite.

Since joining Unite library workers have conducted a vocal public campaign against privatisation with over 1,600 signed postcards from local residents and service users sent to the council rejecting the sell off. The strike action is the culmination of this public campaign.

This is a particularly important dispute. Libraries are being closed and sold off all over the country. If this campaign succeeds it could be a beacon to battles to save libraries elsewhere.

The NSSN urges it's readers and supports to send messages of support to libraries convenor Sara Kasab at [email protected] and/or [email protected]

Please also send messages of protest to Greenwich Labour council at Council leader and Chief executive, Royal Borough of Greenwich, Town Hall, Wellington St, Woolwich SE18 6PW.

Readers can visit the picket lines Friday, Saturday, Monday and Tuesday from 8am till 10am at Eltham Library, Eltham High St, SE9 and Woolwich Library, Wellington St, Woolwich SE18.