Library workers are urging city leaders to give them civil service protections and restore their collective bargaining rights.
Memphis Public Libraries-Workers United (MPL-WU) is asking Memphis City Council to pass an ordinance for a referendum to be placed on the 2026 ballot. Voters would be able to amend the City Charter to allow full civil service protections for library workers.
“This change would finally recognize library workers as the essential city employees they are and allow them to advocate for themselves through a democratically chosen union, just like other municipal workers,” MPL-WU said in a statement.
Library workers are currently classified as appointed employees. According to Communications Workers of America (CWA), this leaves “more than 200 library staff” without workplace protections that other city employees have.
City of Memphis Library Workers called for a union election with CWA in September.
“By shifting to civil service status, workers would gain critical safeguards: transparency in hiring and firing, stronger grievance procedures, and the right to collectively bargain for fair wages and working conditions,” CWA said in a statement.
In order for library workers to procure collective bargaining rights, a 1984 executive order would need to be amended to include appointed employees — which they are asking Mayor Paul Young to do.
Alexandra Farmer, a member of MPL-WU, said library workers deserve the same rights as sanitation workers, firefighters, and other public servants who keep Memphis running.
Several library workers showed up to yesterday’s regular meeting of the Memphis City Council to ask council members to take action on the matter.
“Everybody in this room deserves a fair wage and fair compensation, but that is only a fraction of what we are asking for here today,” Emmaline Rogers, a library worker said. “It is all well and good to say you support labor, but we are looking for action.”
Rogers asked council members to commit to placing the referendum on the ballot for next year and to put library workers on the agenda for the next council meeting.
Council member JB Smiley agreed to bring the issue to the council during its next meeting
Citizens also took the time to speak out against anti-diversity, equity, and inclusion policies that have affected library operations.
“I am absolutely disheartened to learn that this city has been complying with and carrying out censorship by removing language referencing diverse groups from the library workers’ programs and book displays,” Kylie Throckmorton said. “This kind of censorship has historically been an early step on the short path to authoritarianism. “
Throckmorton voiced their support of library workers and asked the council to “oppose” the recent policies implemented.