Striking Thunder Bay library workers respond to Employer misinformation: ‘The only ones making $100k a year at the Library are management’

Thunder Bay, ON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The union representing over 70 workers on strike at the Thunder Bay Public Library (TBPL) is taking issue with a misleading communication shared by the Library’s CEO on Monday.

In a memo sent to union members and the public, CEO Richard Togman claimed to provide “a clear look at the facts surrounding library workers’ contract and benefits,” but instead focused on a very small number of workers who are on the top end of the wage scale.

“The memo left the impression that everyone working at the Library earns six figures,” said Margaret Demillo, President of CUPE 3120, which represents 68 of the striking workers. “But the only ones making $100,000 a year or more at the Library are management.”

Togman’s memo initially referred to “library workers,” but focused exclusively on Librarians.

“There are only seven Librarians across four large branches in the TBPL,” said Deryk Fournier, President of CUPE 87, which represents the librarians. “That’s only about nine percent of a unionized workforce of 75 people. The Employer’s memo completely erases all the other workers who, like the Librarians, play a critical role in making our Library a success.”

Thunder Bay librarians earn between $84,000 and $89,000 a year, slightly below the provincial average, despite the higher cost of living in Northern Ontario, and well below the six figures Togman implies.

“Librarians earn a higher wage because their job requires a minimum of six years of post-secondary education, including a Master of Library and Information Science or equivalent,” explained Fournier. “But this is just a sliver of the workforce; the average salary for all 75 workers is between $50,000 and $60,000, with some workers earning less than $30,000 a year.”

The collective agreements covering both bargaining units are publicly available on the union’s website and through the Ministry of Labour. By contrast, the Library Board has not disclosed the salary and compensation for its CEO or other senior management.

“Togman’s concern for the taxpayer apparently doesn’t include the massive salaries he and other managers make,” said Demillo. “If he really wants to be transparent, he should disclose those sums immediately, including any wage increases they get from year to year.”

When Togman was first hired in 2022, the Board changed the title of his position from “CEO/Head Librarian” to “CEO” because he lacked the education required for the role. Togman then created a new non-union position called “Head Librarian” to perform the work, which means the Library is now paying two people six figures to perform what was previously one job.

Togman’s predecessor disclosed on Facebook that he earned at least $147,000 a year when he was in the role.

“The public deserves to know how much management compensation eats up the Library’s budget,” added Fournier. “If the CEO really wants transparency, he should start with himself.”

The Library Board’s failure to disclose financial information has hampered the bargaining process. Despite repeated requests by the Union to see the Library’s Master Plan of Benefits, which would demonstrate benefit usage across all employees, the Employer has refused.

“The Employer’s claim that it can’t afford to retain our members’ hard-won benefits is just not credible when they won’t show us the numbers,” said Demillo. “It’s even less believable while they’re spending $8 million to renovate the Waverley branch.

“Preserving our benefits would represent a tiny fraction of that multi-million-dollar budget.”

On wages, the union’s proposals are based on successfully negotiated collective agreements in other parts of the province with public libraries commensurate in size to Thunder Bay’s. For example, library workers in Milton just negotiated 3% annual wage increases in a three-year contract. Brampton library workers achieved 3% per year in a four-year contract. In Ajax, library workers got 3.75%, 3.25%, and 3.25% over three years, as well as premium pay on Sundays.

“Thunder Bay library workers are just seeking a fair deal, like other library workers have achieved across Ontario,” said Fournier. “Thunder Bay shouldn’t be an outlier where we buck the trend, and force our workers to accept cuts and concessions.”

On Wednesday evening, community members will join a phone action to engage the Mayor and City Council about the strike and, a week before municipal elections, how they plan to defend good jobs and public services in Thunder Bay.

Meanwhile, library workers continue to encourage the public to contact Library Board members and urge them to withdraw the concessions and negotiate a fair deal.

• CUPE 3120 represents the Library Assistants, Library Technicians, Custodian, Maintenance Persons, Cleaners, Network and Software Support Analysts, Community Facilitators, and Finance Staff from the Thunder Bay Public Library.
• CUPE 87-18 represents seven full-time librarians from the Thunder Bay Public Library.
• Strike photos and videos are available here: https://bit.ly/tblwfb

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