SALT LAKE CITY — A group of Salt Lake City Public Library employees and supporters erupted into boisterous celebration almost immediately after the city library’s board of directors voted Monday afternoon to approve a resolution that will allow employees to formally unionize, all but completing a journey about two years in the making.
The jubilation poured out into the basement of the Salt Lake City Library Main Branch afterward, as employees and supporters embraced. The board’s decision sets up a final vote by the Salt Lake City Council that is expected to take place as early as next month.
If approved by city leaders, Salt Lake City Public Library Workers United — a branch of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees — would become the first public library union in the state.
“It’s been a long time coming, and we were just excited for it to finally happen,” said Melanie Rodriguez, an employee of the Main Branch. “It was a pretty long process, and we’re making history here … so we’re pretty excited about it.”
Library employees made their intent to unionize public in April 2023, but they had discussed the idea internally months before making their formal request to the board. Those who attended a rally at the time cited “long-standing issues” as their reason to seek unionization, including what they described as safety concerns, below-average wages, access to affordable health care and exclusion from major library system decisions.
They also noted that they were essentially the last remaining city department not unionized, as most city employees are members of either the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, or part of police or firefighter unions.
Yet, it took nearly 20 months to reach Monday’s vote because of hurdles that union leaders didn’t expect when the process started. Brad Asay, vice president of the Utah AFL-CIO, which has helped employees seek unionization, said the effort was complicated because of Salt Lake City’s unique structure. The city’s library system is independently governed, but its budget is approved by the City Council every year.
That meant more work to approve everything even after the library board voted in August 2023 to recognize the employees’ efforts. Employee turnover over the last 18 months also slowed down the process as the group needed enough approval from new employees to continue unionization efforts.
“It took a lot longer than we thought it would,” Asay told KSL.com after Monday’s meeting.
The resolution approved Monday essentially authorizes most full-time and part-time employees to unionize and form a collective bargaining agreement. Those who came to Monday’s meeting to support it held a small rally beforehand, where they participated in chants and cheers.
The final decision, however, will be made by the Salt Lake City Council since it requires a city policy change to formally adopt. Asay said he and other organizers have already met with city leaders about the proposal, and he’s confident that the measure will pass.
Rodriguez, who had been a part of the initial unionization discussions, called Monday’s vote “a relief” after the long journey to reach it. She and other employees also feel hopeful as their effort reaches one last hurdle, saying they’re “basically in the homestretch” now.
“It’s been exciting. … It’s historic — it’s very cool to me,” she said, of the journey. “I just feel honored, honestly, to be a part of this.”
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