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While I've got your attention, I'd like to very quickly explain why you haven't heard about the issues library staff are facing in quite as much detail as what I've put here.
Bear in mind that this is an anonymous account. There's no way I could post this under my real name.
Bear in mind that this is an anonymous account. There's no way I could post this under my real name.
Secondly, I'm about to get a wee bit technical.
I'm a part-time worker. Most library staff are now. Most of us are on temporary or zero-hour contracts. It takes very little to lay us off. Simply stop giving us shifts.
And there have been massive layoffs already due to COVID.
I'm a part-time worker. Most library staff are now. Most of us are on temporary or zero-hour contracts. It takes very little to lay us off. Simply stop giving us shifts.
And there have been massive layoffs already due to COVID.
Many local authorities have pulled a nasty wee trick where all "temporary" staff (i.e. anyone who's been at their particular branch for less than four years, I believe) have been switched to monthly rolling contracts.
Many of you already know this but for me this means that every four weeks I wait to see if I still have a job and I sign my new contract. Every four weeks.
There's just no way anyone could blow the whistle with that axe over their head, so that's why we go anonymous.
There's just no way anyone could blow the whistle with that axe over their head, so that's why we go anonymous.
This is me saying that we need an overhaul of labour laws in this country. We need to end the precariousness of temporary and zero-hour contracts or else stories like mine will never be heard. Those poor people I help will never be heard.
It's that way by design.
It's that way by design.
Yes, I am a union member. The union is really struggling right now and it's really the laws themselves that need changed. We need to empower unions a bit better and it will help all of us.
Job security means we can speak up about unfairness and poverty.
Job security means we can speak up about unfairness and poverty.
You may have noticed that the four-weekly contract has other implications for things like sickness and self-isolation but I'd rather not get into that right now. Needless to say, it's not ideal during a pandemic.
