Union steward details staff disruptions from Main Library closure, urges continued labor‑management coordination

A representative of organized library employees told the board that Main‑Library staff have experienced significant operational disruption since the adjacent garage fire, with reassignment, schedule instability and logistical burdens that have affected childcare and transportation.

The issue matters because staff stability affects service continuity, morale and the library’s ability to maintain programs while Main remains partially closed.

Kyle Cook, elected lead steward for Library Department employees, said union members have been "carefully following the incident" and appreciated updates from administration and industrial hygiene experts. He described staff frustration over rapidly changing assignments and schedules, the need to arrange childcare and transportation when shifts move between branches, and concerns about fairness where some staff are working remotely while others cover shifts in branches. "Across the library system, we've heard library staff... frustrated with a lack of day to day consistency," Cook said. He reported that, as of the previous week, most Main public‑facing positions were reassigned to a single branch to provide stability and that members seek continued labor‑management engagement to improve procedures.

Board members and administrators acknowledged staff challenges and thanked employees for flexibility. No board vote or policy change was taken at the meeting; Cook requested management follow up in labor‑management meetings to address scheduling, reassignment and other operational details.

The board recorded the report and indicated intent to meet further with union and staff representatives.