A couple dozen people gathered outside city hall on Monday to protest changes within Saskatoon Public Library.
“We’re asking how many more layoffs are there going to be? And we are demanding that workers be treated fairly,” Yvonne Siermacheski, with CUPE Local 2669 Library Workers, said.
READ MORE: Saskatoon Public Library laying off 20 staff
The CUPE-led demonstration accused the library’s CEO, Carol Cooley, of planning cuts to programs and services.
Union officials said over 20 library workers have already been laid-off, with another 40 facing potential job losses through re-structuring.
The head of the library said staffing is funded through its operating budget.
“But we also make contributions to reserves for capital expenditures and they’re completely different sources of money,” Cooley said.
READ MORE: Union members rally against budget cuts in Saskatoon
The Saskatchewan government slashed $4.8 million in funding to libraries in March, but restored it one month later.
The protest coincided with a presentation on a potential new library.
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