A union representing assistants and custodians at the Kalamazoo Public Library is asking residents to show up to KPL’s board meeting Monday to support its push for higher pay.
The Union of KPL Aides and Hourly Custodians represents the library’s part-time workers, and is one of three employee unions currently negotiating with KPL.
Union president Jack Soderberg said the library only increased its latest pay offer by 17 cents, which they say is still nowhere near the $21 an hour the union is hoping for. Currently members make around $15 an hour.
Soderberg added that the offer made union members feel unappreciated.
“We provide a lot of hours, a lot of work towards maintaining the library's services and making sure that it runs smoothly. So, to feel undervalued is very, very frustrating.”
Soderberg said residents turning out to KPL’s Board of Trustees meeting on Monday could push the library to make a better offer.
“We want to show the library that community members care about library workers and want to see their tax dollars going towards supporting those people that are at the heart of the library," he said.
In an email, KPL’s negotiating team declined to comment on how much the library is offering.
"We take staff concerns and these negotiations seriously. From where we stand, it isn't appropriate to share what's happening in negotiations publicly. It diminishes the fairness of the process," the statement read.
"We're still meeting weekly and actively negotiating, with dates on the calendar to keep talks going. That's the right thing to continue to do. One of our goals with these negotiations is fair and competitive wages. Talking is what can get us there."
KPL's trustees' meeting begins at 5:30 pm on Monday.
