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Salt Lake City Council adopts collective bargaining structure for public library workers
Summary
The City Council voted unanimously to adopt a labor resolution establishing a collective bargaining process for Salt Lake City Public Library staff, following the library board's approval on Jan. 29, 2025. Council members and union representatives praised the move as a step to give library employees a formal voice at the city table.
The Salt Lake City Council on a unanimous vote adopted a labor resolution establishing a collective bargaining structure and process for the Salt Lake City Public Library, as amended and approved by the library board on Jan. 29, 2025.
The measure gives the library staff a formal process to pursue collective bargaining under terms the library board and city administration negotiated. "This makes me a little emotional," said Council Member Young, thanking the mayor, city staff and the library board for creating a pathway that honors employees' rights while allowing the city to meet funding and procedural obligations. "You deserve this," Young said to library staff.
Bryce Hayes, a librarian at the Salt Lake City Public Library, told the council the staff organized beginning in May 2022 and sought AFSCME's assistance. "In December of 2024, following months of discussion between AFSCME and the library board, the board passed a resolution that lays the groundwork for formal recognition of our union, making us the first library workers union in the state of Utah," Hayes said, urging council approval.
Council members who spoke in favor emphasized the council's history of recognizing collective bargaining and applauded staff organizing efforts. The motion to adopt the resolution was made by Council Member Young and seconded by Council Member Pietro; the council voted unanimously to approve the resolution.
The adopted resolution implements the structure and process described in the library board's version of the measure and starts a formal pathway for library employees to negotiate collectively. The resolution does not itself list contract terms; those will be subject to future bargaining between the recognized employee representatives and the city.
Council supporters said the next steps are administrative and procedural implementation of the bargaining framework approved tonight. The council did not set specific timelines for bargaining sessions in the adopted resolution.
