Major Brisbane library restructure devastates morale, union survey finds

Half of Brisbane’s librarians want to quit as morale plummets ahead of a major council restructure and cuts to jobs and programs, their union says.

Half of Brisbane City Council’s librarians want to quit, a union survey has revealed. File picture: iSTOCK

Half of Brisbane City Council’s librarians want to quit as morale plummets ahead of a major restructure and cuts to jobs and programs, a union survey has revealed.

Council denied claims it has quietly cut $17m from the $61m library services budget, but said it was working to balance the need to deliver services in tough economic times while keeping rates down.

This week it was revealed capital expenditure had been cut by $321m in the past 12 months.

Council has increasingly been forced to go cap in hand to the state and federal governments for help to deliver major projects.

Labor Opposition Leader Jared Cassidy claimed full-time equivalent library staff numbers had been cut almost 10 per cent in the past two financial years.

A range of popular programs from tea and biscuits for seniors, to the Carindale Makerspace Program and the children’s First Five Forever sessions had also been cut, he said.

Library staff numbers had dropped from 261 two years ago to 237 this financial year, with a restructure coming within weeks which had added to stress levels.

“We know the public is disappointed over cuts to the First Five Forever Program, which

reduced from 98 sessions to 75 sessions across Brisbane weekly in December,’’ Mr Cassidy said.

“We have also heard comments from staff who are feeling stressed, undervalued and

uncertain about their jobs.

“The LNP Council has not been transparent when it comes to the budget for local libraries.

“What is clear is there have been cuts to staff and programs and the upcoming restructuring will likely lead to more.’’

The Services Union members, including librarians, went on strike on Thursday before securing an eleventh-hour payrise from council. Picture: John Gass

The Services Union, which covered librarians, said the results of its recent workplace survey were “damning and demonstrate that library workers are being treated with the utmost disdain’’.

“Against a backdrop of slashed resources, increased workloads, physical injury and unprecedented levels of customer aggression, council is choosing to compound employee stress by implementing a restructure, which will cause even more disruption,’’ a spokeswoman said.

“This is all at the same time our members are campaigning for decent wage rise.’’

More than 1000 council TSU members, including librarians, walked off the job on Thursday before an eleventh-hour agreement with council which resulted in pay rises of 3.75 per cent and 3.6 per cent over the next two years.

The TSU survey found a whopping 97 per cent of librarians believed the looming workplace changes had been badly planned.

More than 80 per cent felt that the way council was implementing the workplace changes was affecting their mental health and just over half were thinking about quitting.

A council spokeswoman said claims the library services budget was cut from the $61m announced in last year’s budget to just $44m were “entirely inaccurate’’.

They were based on information in a job ad in November for a new library services manager which related to the budget overseen by that manager, not the overall libraries budget which included building maintenance and construction.

Deputy Mayor Fiona Cunningham said council was “striking a balance between delivering the services Brisbane needs while spending within our means’’.

Dr Harriet Dempsey-Jones, with daughter Lyra, 2, outside Toowong Library. She raised her concerns last year after council told parents that toddler reading sessions would be cut. Picture: Liam Kidston

“Our hardworking librarians are incredibly valued, which is why we’ve been working closely with them to improve frontline library services for Brisbane residents,’’ she said.

“Clearly, Labor and unions support massive increases in spending which would result in a massive increase to household rates and rents.

“This was on display at the election, when the Green/Labor ‘coalition of chaos’ made $3.5bn in unfunded promises which would have jacked up rates and rents for all Brisbane residents.’’

Independent Councillor Nicole Johnston claimed contract and temporary staff were cut last year, with teams in digital services and programs such as “story time’’ the worst affected.

The library services division would also be merged with call services, “de-prioritising’’ it, amid claims council wanted to use more junior staff, she said.

“Librarians are at the coal face of essential services. They need to be fully resourced and funded,’’ she said.

Originally published as Major Brisbane library restructure devastates morale, union survey finds