Mayor Rahm Emanuel has asked corporate donors for $60 million dollars to bring the NATO and G-8 summits to Chicago. The Chicago Sun Times reported that Hank Bayer asked why can't the mayor do the same for the libraries and save them from reducing days and hours.
“Library services are much more important to Chicago’s neighborhoods than bringing the G-8 to the city,” said Henry Bayer, executive director of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 31.
“If those people can afford to put up $45 million or $60 million, which is the city’s estimate, why isn’t he out there asking them, `Wouldn’t you be willing to pay a little bit more — just a fraction of that $60 million — which could be used to keep the libraries open’ ” six days-a-week?
Taping the WLS-AM radio program, “Connected to Chicago,” to air at 6 a.m. Sunday, Bayer accused Emanuel of “looking for scapegoats rather than solutions” to the all-day Monday closing of branch libraries that began this week to “hide the fact that libraries aren’t a big priority for this administration.”
In response, Mayor Emanuel has accused AFSCME of introducing other issues into the negotiations to rollback the cuts to the library.
Emanuel is accusing the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 31, which represents library employees, of using the library issue as “a bargaining chip” and refusing to accede to concessions on “a host of other subjects.”
According to the Chicago Public Library marketing director, Ruth Lednicer, 176 employees were laid off as a result of the Monday closings, which the system is considering “temporary … until further notice.”
“We’re hopeful the city and union reach an agreement,” Ms. Lednicer says.
Some alderman have been vocal about the library "closing," the most vocal being Alderman Scott Waguespack (32nd). He told the Sun Times recently he is infuriated with the closing and the parties ought to get back to the bargaining table.
“That’s not what was proposed or voted on. It’s completely contrary. We need to sit down quickly and get back to the original agreement, which was keep those libraries open” every day, said Ald. Scott Waguespack (32nd), who led the charge against the library cuts.
The mayor’s plan to reduce library hours and impose draconian job cuts that would impact library services at all hours fast emerged as the most controversial element of the mayor’s 2012 budget.
Aldermen from across the city decried the mayor’s decision to reduce corporate fund support for libraries by $10 million — even as the city continues to build new libraries on top of the 59 constructed under former Mayor Richard M. Daley.
Seems the Chicago City Council has a full plate these days with remap issues and the upcoming NATO and G-8 summits coming up. Then there's pension reform. Seems this issue pales in comparison, so let's hope they can get back to the table and dispose of this issue quickly.
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John is the author of an award-winning book, the 2010 Winner of the USA National Best Book award for African-American studies, published by The Elevator Group Mr. and Mrs. Grassroots: How Barack Obama, Two Bookstore Owners, and 300 Volunteers did it. Also available an eBook on Amazon.
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