Toronto Public Library Board ratifies collective agreement

Deal includes improvements to wages

The Toronto Public Library Board and its employees — represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 4948 — recently ratified a collective agreement with Toronto Public Library workers.

The four-year agreement includes annual wage improvements as well as improvements to address the issue of precarious employment.

According to the union, more than half of all jobs at the Toronto Public Library can currently be described as “precarious.”

The tentative deal was reached following a marathon round of bargaining.

“We said at the onset that our members wanted and needed a collective agreement that addressed the unique needs of our workforce,” said CUPE 4948 president Maureen O’Reilly.

“Half of our members are precariously employed, and three-quarters are women, and this agreement is a good — albeit small — step in the right direction for them.”  

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