Brookdale Library has a pre-pandemic history of ventilation/HVAC issues. At this juncture, the problem does not appear to be mechanical, but rather one of facilities management choice and/or routinely not being in the loop when Brookdale’s building schedule changes. Workers frequently complain (sometimes patrons do), but are routinely told: “The system is working fine” or that some unstated mystery problem has been resolved.
After months of furloughs, fear, and risky front-line work—COVID-19 restrictions are loosening as our workload continues to increase. As this occurs, Local 2822 is working hard to prepare for contract negotiations. And, results from an April 2021 member survey indicate that—not only do we want a hike in the minimum wage—we want pay raises across the board.
Workers Memorial Day 2021 arrives at a moment of the greatest urgency, when the front lines of the war against COVID-19 run through America’s workplaces.
Workers in health care and social service industries are a big step closer to having safer workplaces.
On Friday, the House of Representatives passed the Workplace Violence Prevention for Health Care and Social Service Workers Act (H.R.1195) by a bipartisan vote of 254 to 166. The bill requires the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to issue a standard to prevent workplace violence in health care and social service assistance settings.
On this National Library Workers Day, AFSCME library workers deserve to be recognized for the value they bring to our diverse communities and the vital services they provide anyone who asks for help.
