Creative Communities - BC Library Conference 2015

This session will shine a light on the advocacy and activism of library workers in the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) over the past 51 years. Working in all sectors of the library community – post-secondary, public and K-12 - CUPE has been at the forefront of representing library workers locally, provincially and nationally. In British Columbia, CUPE represents 8,000 library workers in colleges, universities, elementary, middle and secondary schools and public libraries. CUPE BC’s Library Committee raises awareness of the work performed by library workers and supports political action, including lobbying B.C. MLAs for increased provincial funding for libraries and library services. At the federal level, the CUPE National Library Workers Committee lobbies federal politicians for literacy and reading rights to ensure that libraries and library services stay public and inclusive. Resolutions passed at CUPE and BC Federation of Labour conventions ensure that library issues form part of the strategic direction of the labour movement. This interactive session will highlight the story of a local library worker’s experience of being on the picket line. Panelists will review the mandate and the history of both the CUPE BC and CUPE National Library committees, including the important work of advocating for libraries in all sectors. Library resolutions will be presented in a mock convention and participants will have then have the opportunity to speak on the resolutions and talk about what happens once a resolution is passed on convention floor.