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Toronto's librarians heading back to the books: Workers ratify contract

National Post Staff — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 02:43:48 +0000

By Tristin Hopper and Samina Escha

Toronto’s librarians, book pages and customer service assistants are heading back to work on Friday after members ratified a collective agreement with the city of Toronto on Thursday night.

In a night statement, Maureen O’Reilly, president of Toronto Library Workers Union, praised her members’ patience but criticized the Toronto Library Board for being “aggressive” and joining an “assault” on city workers.

“This signals clear approval of our commitment to defending quality jobs and services, even when with an assault on the people who work to keep our communities working,” she said.

[np-related]

All library services are due to be restored by 10:30 a.m. Friday. Throughout Thursday, union members filed into the Prince Westin Hotel to cast their votes, some bringing along family members, children and even pets for moral support.

“All I can say that it’s better than what we expected … so, that’s a good sign,” said a library staffer from the North York area who wished to remain anonymous.

The strike, which began March 19, was started largely because of concerns over job security for library part-timers, who make up about half the union’s membership.

In its news release, the union boasted that it had thwarted board efforts to convert full-time positions to part-time.

Interviewed at the Westin Hotel, another anonymous employee called the deal “a good change for the part-timers.”

“Library workers are the hardest workers; we stand there and help people the whole day. Then why should we be the one picked on?” the staffer added.

National Post

Right reasons, wrong argument?

mrhotpies — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 05:56:05 +0000

Here’s the head of the Toronto librarians’ union outlining some of the reasons for the current city-wide strike. She raises some very good points. But discussing a librarian’s job security (important though this is) will not bring the man or woman in the street on side. After all, many of them have lost their jobs or been downgraded; why should they care if the same thing happens to others, particularly those in the public sector? Instead, the union should highlight the decay in service that will stem from job losses and, more importantly, emphasise how the public’s hard-earned tax dollars are being wasted on middle and upper management faster than an Enron executive can gamble in a backstreet Las Vegas casino. So come on librarians – a little more chutzpah please!

Author Linda McQuaig and Economist Hugh Mackenzie confirmed for OHC Action Assembly.

opseudiablogue — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 21:08:44 +0000

The Ontario Health Coalition has confirmed that author Linda McQuaig and economist Hugh Mackenzie wi

The Stick in Bill O'Reilly's Ass

beatsandbombs — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 21:20:28 +0000

Hahaha I can’t get over this one. I had to check it up myself to believe it, I’m not sure if this is common knowledge but I read recently that Bill O’Reilly’s wife, Maureen McPhilmy, had once dated Flavor Flav before she married Bill in ’95. Sure enough a little investigation on the good ol’ internet provided some real answers. Man, no wonder Bill O’Reilly hates everything to do with hip hop and rap. This explains it all, you wifed Flavor Flav’s groupie and are pissed off about it. I could’ve started laughing at Bill O’Reilly much sooner had I known this. Have fun explaining this to your kids, Bill!

The reason Bill O’Reilly is an asshole……