Vic State Library Workers Walk

Date: 20 March 2003

State Library Of Victoria staff walked off the job yesterday and rallied at the Premiers office over bargaining strife.

CPSU Victorian Branch Secretary Karen Batt said the action was in protest at the failure of the Government to settle their long running Enterprise Bargaining dispute, CPSU Victorian Branch Secretary Karen Batt announced today.

"It's been more than month since the premier engaged protesting staff striking outside the State Library and promised to look at the parlous wage situation facing Librarians, library technicians, attendants, cataloguers, photographers, IT workers and other library staff and yet there has still been no alternative wage offer made by the Employer."

"Currently, the starting rate for a qualified professional at the State Library is less than $30,000 p.a. Some librarians and library technicians have worked at the State Library for more than ten years and are still paid less than $30,000 p.a."

"Resources that could be invested in the existing workforce are wasted on expensive premiums being paid for recruitment and advertising because of staff turnover."

"Staff at the State Library are paid low than their colleagues in public libraries, university libraries and school libraries across Victoria. Around Australia, all State Libraries pay higher wages than the State Library of Victoria and the State Libraries of South Australia and NSW as well as the National Library pay librarians and library technicians 11.7% more on average than Victoria."

"All these facts have not been disputed by Library management and the Government yet no one will take their Employer responsibility seriously and settle this dispute," she said.

***'PROTEST PLANNED FOR FASHION WEEK'S BALL AT SLV.***

CPSU members will protest out the front of Fashion's Week's ball on Thursday night at the Library to further embarrass the decision makers[sic] and have also voted to strike for 24 hours on Thursday 27 March 2003 if no acceptable, concrete offer is made within the next fortnight.

***LIBRARY BOARD'S DISDAIN DRAWS NO CONFIDENT VOTE***

Karen Batt said, "Library staff have also expressed concern about the State Library Board of Victoria's lack of leadership and implied contempt for SLV staff in relation to the current, protracted staff wage issue and have registered a vote of no confidence in the Board members."

"The incompetence of SLV Board and management reflected in their failure to settle this Enterprise Bargaining dispute reiterates SLV members' claim for a staff-elected staff representative on the Library Board and our calls for regular open meetings of the Library Board."

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