Memphis Public Library Workers Move Closer to Union Victory

In February, supporters of the Memphis Public Library Workers’ Union celebrated a hard-earned victory on the road to forming their union. Through months of canvassing, committee meetings, and City Council sessions, workers secured a referendum on the upcoming November ballot to reclassify library workers from their current status as political appointees to formal civil servants, opening a path to the protections and benefits of a union contract.

Currently, all library employees are classified as “appointed” by the mayor, a status typically reserved for division heads or board members. This outdated designation leaves more than 200 library staff without the same workplace protections enjoyed by most other City of Memphis employees. By shifting to civil service status, workers would gain critical safeguards: transparency in hiring and firing, stronger grievance procedures, and the right to collectively bargain for fair wages and working conditions.

Library workers in Memphis announced their intent to form a union in September of last year.

Congratulations to the Memphis Public Library workers for this next step on the path to union victory!

Click here to connect with the Memphis Public Library Workers Union on Instagram.

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This post originally appeared on cwa-union.org.