Union power wins: Baltimore library workers get jobs back

Fourteen part-time librarians at the Baltimore County Public Library received a jarring email on the afternoon of Nov. 12. BCPL leadership’s email informed them that they would no longer have jobs. The mass firing came just ahead of the holiday season and without any advance notice. 

All 14 are members of the International Association of Machinists Local 4538, which represents the several hundred BCPL workers and the staff of a nearby Apple Store. Several of those fired were particularly active members of their union. One of the fired librarians is an active union steward and member of the Local’s bargaining committee. 

Some of the fired librarians worked in the system for more than 30 years, only to be met with an undignified and sudden dismissal. These library workers provide a variety of services to the community beyond books and research. Many serve as de facto social workers, interfacing with large groups of children, the homeless, and people struggling with addiction. Luckily, the workers, their union, and the local community jumped into action. 

The outrage at the firings was immediate and passionate. Local 4538 called upon other unions and all concerned community members to flood the media with support. The Machinists’ local also urged those same people to pack the Baltimore County Council meeting and a BCPL board meeting. 

Simply from the outrage in the press and the public plans to mobilize, the BCPL backpedaled two days later and rehired all 14 part-time librarians. However, the workers still packed the BCPL board meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 19, to make sure this never happens again. 

At this meeting, Local 4538 President Anita Bass not only condemned the firing but spoke in favor of broader worker power, stating: 

“I don’t understand what any of you were thinking. We are a union. We are Machinists. We are here to protect our people. We will not tolerate intimidation, retaliation or union busting. We are also in the middle of negotiating our financial contract. How dare you fire a union member that is on the negotiating committee. Two days later the reinstatement of the part-time librarians was a result of community outcry and union power.” 

President Bass couldn’t be more correct. As Frederick Douglass taught, power concedes nothing without a demand. In the case of the Baltimore County Public Library, the workers mobilized to demand the reinstatement of their fellow library staff. Through struggle and organizing, they won that demand swiftly. Long live worker power!