Message of support from Hendon Labour Party
The strike action being taken by Barnet’s library staff is a direct result of Tory led Barnet Council’s decision to cut the library service. Almost 50% of the jobs will be lost in this unprincipled and ideologically driven action that goes to the heart of the community.
The Library service is one of the most well loved public services in the country with thousands of Barnet residents using the service each and every week. Whether its young children with their parents exploring the wonders of books for the first time, GCSE and A level students using the library space for studying, seniors taking the opportunity to read newspapers and magazines or any one of us borrowing books to read at our leisure, the library service is central to a civilised society.
The Barnet council cuts seek to take much of this away and all of us will be the worse for it. Over the last year thousands of Barnet residents have campaigned to keep the service. Despite the campaign the cuts will mean:
§ Library posts will be cut by 46%, a loss of 52 full time equivalent posts
§ Staffed hours will be reduced by 70% (despite overwhelming opposition to this from respondents to the Council’s Library consultations)
§ Unaccompanied under 15 year-olds will not be able to use libraries for most of their opening hours
§ Library space to be reduced, thus cutting study space and book stock
§ Four libraries will be run in the future by “community groups”, volunteers replacing, not supplementing, professional library staff.
The continuing community support for the library workers and the strike action they have been forced to take will send a clear message to the Council that enough is enough. The Library service should be protected.
Sian John – Chair, Hendon Constituency Labour Party
Mike Barker – Acting Secretary, Hendon Constituency Labour Party
Solidarity Message from County Durham Trades Union Council
Solidarity Message from County Durham Trades Union Council
To our brothers and sisters in Barnet UNISON –
We applaud and salute you in your courageous decision to take strike action against Barnet Council’s appalling decision to cut and out source library services across the Borough, whilst also sacking paid workers and replacing them with unpaid voluntary community groups. This is another disgusting austerity attack on hard working people, which must be resisted.
We stand with you in your fight and you have our full support in the action you are taking to protect such vital and priceless community services. Solidarity to all your members – your fight is our fight – #UnitedWeStand.
Solidarity Message from Barnet Trades Union Council
To our brothers and sisters in Barnet UNISON – your fight against the privatisation and decimation of Public Services by the ideologically driven Tories in our Borough is an inspiration to the Trade Union movement.
Libraries are a beacon of any civilised society, providing a safe environment where generations of our community have benefited from this vital social service, helping to bridge the gap between the haves and the have nots.
Libraries are spaces where people of all ages and all backgrounds can practice lifelong learning, something that the Tories in our Borough well understand and find distasteful.
We stand with you in your fight against this attack on our community.
In Solidarity,
Barnet Trades Union Council
Message of Solidarity from Barnet Alliance For Public Services & Save Barnet Libraries
“BAPS and Save Barnet Libraries support your strike action and hope to see you on the picket line. As you know our two groups have been campaigning to save the library service since the first dreadful plans were put forward. We understand the value of trained professionals, and appreciate that it is your skills and experience that have provided the high-quality service that we have enjoyed and depended on. We deplore the cuts in space, material resources and, above all, in your jobs.
We are still working on the campaign and stand shoulder to shoulder with you.”
In solidarity.
BAPS and SBL
Message of Solidarity from Barnet NUT
A message of support to library workers organised by Barnet Unison
Barnet NUT gives 100% support to the forthcoming strike by our fellow workers in Barnet Libraries. Of course we extend this support in the spirit of worker solidarity – an injury to one is an injury to all. But we also support you because of the valuable work you do in performing such an important public sector and public education role for all the residents of Barnet. Without your contribution our residents and our children will be so much the poorer.
We salute you for standing up for your rights and ours.
For your livelihood and ours. For your community and ours.
Solidarity.
Message of Solidarity from Davy Hopper
” I want to send a message of solidarity and support to Barnet UNISON Library workers who are taking 3 days strike action next week in defence of service and jobs. I am proud to have marched with Barnet UNISON and your Save Barnet Libraries campaign on 12 September 2015. I was impressed with how the union and the community were working together to defend their local services. Good luck with your strike and your campaign.”
Davy Hopper, General Secretary , Durham Miners’Association
Message of Solidarity from Barnet Green Party
‘We at Barnet Green Party are writing to express our solidarity with the three day strike action being taken by your library workers. Barnet Council’s proposed cuts to posts, staffing hours, library space and other resources is completely unacceptable. It demonstrates an absence of imagination in modernising libraries to adapt to the electronic-era. We believe that the shrinking, selling and cutting staffing at libraries is the action of a heartless undemocratic council. The selling off of public goods which are treasured by Barnet’s residents and of which they are custodians with no mandate to dispose of is quite simply scandalous and we shall continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with you in resisting the cuts to library services as we have sadly had to do for years.’
Dan Ozarow
Trade Union Liaison Officer, Barnet Green Party
Message of Solidarity from Mark Serwotka PCS General Secretary
“On behalf of PCS, I send our full solidarity for your strike. You have the full support of PCS in your fight against cuts to public libraries in Barnet and the forced privatisation of these vital public services and we are absolutely clear that your fight is our fight. PCS members have taken action over similar issues in recent years. Our members at the Land Registry successfully fought off privatisation in the past, and are now facing another struggle to stop another attempted sell off. Please let us know if there is any other practical support we can provide.”
(Mark Serwotka PCS General Secretary)
Message of Solidarity to Barnet’s library staff & Barnet Unison
Message of Solidarity to Barnet’s library staff & Barnet Unison
POSTED BY BARNET LABOUR ON JUNE 06, 2016
Leader of the Barnet Labour Group, Cllr Barry Rawlings said:
“On behalf of the Barnet Labour Group I would like to send a message of solidarity to all Library staff taking industrial action on 13th, 14th and 15th of June in opposition to Barnet Council’s terrible plan to cut library posts by 46%, reduce the staffed opening hours of our libraries by 70%, and slash floor space at our libraries.
“We oppose these library cuts, and the plans to outsource the service which we believe will have a devastating and lasting impact on our local community.”
