Daniel Boone Regional Library Board approves state's first union contract with workers
By a vote of 11-2 and after emotional comments from workers and the public, the Daniel Boone Regional Library Board of Trustees on Tuesday approved the state's first union contract with workers.
It represents a reversal from last week, when the board approved a contract while adding an amendment requiring salaries be renegotiated in years two and three of the contract if revenues don't increase by 4%. The action left workers upset.
The only "no" votes came from Jean Howard and Kate Markie. Tonya Hays-Martin didn't attend.
The contract includes annual raises of at least 5% but averaging around 16% to place employees on a market-adjusted salary grade linked to their years of service. Paid time off increases with seniority. There's 12 weeks of paid family leave in the contract. There are improved cost-shares for health insurance.
The union celebrated on X, formerly Twitter, in all caps.
"WE DID IT! WE DID IT. WE F---IN DID IT! WE GOT THE FIRST CONTRACT OF THE FIRST UNIONIZED LIBRARY IN THE STATE OF MISSOURI! LETS GOOOOO!!!"
Also on X:
"Thank you so much to everyone in our community for all the support throughout the process. We are here to serve our community and we could not have done this without you."
The union members can celebrate both their victory and Christmas, said Wendy Rigby, president of the union, Daniel Boone Regional Library Workers United. The union is part of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees union.
"We're over the moon," Rigby said. "Our colleagues are going to have what they need and the board recognized that."
The meeting was on Zoom and several employees and nonemployees commented about last week's vote.
Library worker Crystal Buffaloe cried through her comments. Referring to the vote last week, she said neither side can make changes to the contract without negotiating them.
"You do not hold line-item veto over the contract," Buffaloe said.
She was in the depths of despair, she said.
"This is the lowest point I have been in the entire 14 months of negotiating," Buffaloe said before the positive vote, referring to last week's vote.
"We are fighting for a fair contract for the living, breathing people who work for the library," she said.
The library board's action last week was frustrating, said resident Tyler Ludwig.
"That really leaves a bad taste in my mouth," Ludwig said. "It really reflects badly on the library and it reflects badly on the library board."
There is no library without its staff, said resident Vera Elwood.
"I am ashamed and embarrassed by what this board has done," she said, referring to last week's vote.
It's hard for people to open up in public and they may have made a difference, Rigby said of the commenters.
"I hope they were moved," Rigby said about board members to the comments.
The board met in closed session for about 45 minutes after the comments and before the vote.
It's good to have the contract in place before the start of the year and the start of the library's budget year, said DBRL Director Margaret Conroy in a news release.
“We’re pleased that a contract was finalized before the end of the year so that we can implement the wage increases and improved healthcare cost shares at the start of 2024,” Conroy said. “The contract provides protections for employees and preserves management’s rights to manage the library’s valued programs and services.”
Roger McKinney is the Tribune's education reporter. You can reach him at rmckinney@columbiatribune.com or 573-815-1719. He's on X at @rmckinney9
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: First library union and the first library union contract in Missouri
