By MIKE LEE

After nearly two years of negotiations, partially due to the third wave of COVID-19 in late 2021, Queens Library Guild Local 1321 and the Queens Public Library agreed to a contract that members ratified by a record 99.9% in November.

Unlike DC 37 members working for City agencies, other bargaining units must negotiate a separate contract with their employers for different items, including those at the three New York City public library systems. Local 1321’s contract also covers working conditions, vacation time, and sick leave.

Some of the highlights of the new terms include:

• Library employees now will have off the Saturday before Memorial Day, and Juneteenth will be added as a holiday.
  
• The one-hour waiting period for staff to accrue comp time when the temperature is either above or below the contractual thresholds begins when the first person enters the building.
• Travel reimbursement involving work now includes involuntary assignments for up to 25 work days.

Along with the delay due to the pandemic surge and many bargaining sessions canceled and rescheduled, the local and Queens Library representatives worked hard to negotiate a new contract. Finally, in September, they agreed on a tentative deal.

“This was a very challenging and long negotiation process,” said Local 1321 President John Hyslop, who also serves as DC 37 Secretary. “Our team would not give up on demands to improve our working conditions.”

Union negotiators stood firm, repeatedly rejecting management’s demands until the Queens Library administration backed down.

The local’s negotiation team presented cogent arguments to convince Queens Library negotiators that their demands regarding safety issues, mental health, and telework would improve staff morale and productivity. Unfortunately, the Library rejected many of these demands.

Hyslop and other members of the Local 1321 negotiating team expressed their frustration with management’s obstinate stance on vital union demands, especially those regarding workplace quality of life and safety issues.

“They were a tad frustrating because there was a lot of back and forth, and it seemed the administration wasn’t hearing our side regarding what would help keep our members safe and improve their mental welfare,” said Chante Gaines, a Local 1321 Delegate. “I felt like management brushed us off and didn’t even want to negotiate.”

Thomas Wynn, Local 1321’s Vice President for Blue Collar, believes that while the ultimate contract as a whole was good for members, several outstanding issues must still be addressed.

“I believe we will revisit this and deal with management so that members know that we have their backs when problems arise,” Wynn said.

Local 1321 Vice President for Non-Librarian Professionals and IT Lisa Soler strongly emphasized the need to address safety at the library in future talks.

“Safety is the biggest priority,” Soler said. “We really wanted management to include written guidelines regarding coverage because smaller library branches often have fewer staffers and there are no guidelines for managers to contact management for guidance if there is a staff shortage due to sickness or weather conditions.”

Hyslop indicated more action is needed, but emphasized the positive aspects of the agreement.

“I am very proud of this bargaining team,” Hyslop said. “We remained unified in our demands to improve our members’ work lives and we presented good, rational arguments. Like all negotiations, we did not achieve everything we wanted, but made some positive strides.

“The things we got make our members’ work lives better and we got them without any givebacks,” he said.