Layoffs were announced Tuesday at the Saskatoon Public Library (SPL).
SPL director and CEO Carol Cooley said they are in the process of laying off 22 employees. Two were let go in March and another 20, made up of 14 full-time, front-line staff were notified Tuesday.
READ MORE: University of Saskatchewan managerial layoffs not tied to budget shortfall: officials
The decision was made due to a budget shortfall, recognized while preparing the 2018 budget.
“We needed to mitigate any increases that we asked from the city of Saskatoon and we needed to find cost savings within our own budget so we can present the smallest request for an increase to the levy to council later this year,” Cooley said.
Although provincial funding was restored to public libraries in April, it only accounts for three per cent of Saskatoon’s total costs. The remaining 97 per cent is funded by the city, which is dealing with its own multi-million dollar shortfall.
“It really is a change in how we staff our service desk at Frances Morrison central library,” Cooley explained.
READ MORE: University of Saskatchewan offers 1,100 employees voluntary buyout packages
It’s a move that’s shocked the library’s union, CUPE Local 2669, including representative Rhonda Heisler.
“We thought we might have a bit of a reprieve of time before we saw any effect of the service review of any further effect of the budget cuts so we were shocked and surprised,” Heisler said.
“It frustrates us because the front-line staff are the face of SPL.”
A posting on the union’s website called it a terrible, stressful and saddening day for many.
Heisler added that it’s also a blow to the union.
The local membership has 76 full-time staff, and 174 part time people.
Saskatoon Public Library is conducting a service review that’s expected to be done in the fall, as well the province is undertaking its own library consultation.
It all adds to the uncertainty of the future of Saskatchewan libraries and their employees.
With files from Doug Lett