Where's Dale? CUPE blasts education minister for no show at library meetings
Dale Kirby has said he did not want to influence consultation process
The Canadian Union of Public Employees is blasting the Newfoundland and Labrador education minister for not attending library review sessions.
"Dale Kirby should show more respect for people living in rural communities, public library patrons, and frontline library workers," said the union in a news release on Thursday.
The roundtable sessions, which wrapped up on Nov. 8, were held to talk about the future of the library system. The provincial government put plans to cut library branches on hold, while the review was underway.
- Library closures suspended until review completed
- Fogo Islanders pack library in protest of government cuts
Kirby has said he did not want to influence the process. But CUPE said he should have been there to hear "all the positive comments about the current library system."
Union calls it 'lip service'
The union, which represents library workers, also took issue with the way the review sessions were conducted, calling it "lip service."
The discussions were led by consulting firm EY, at a cost of $187,000, with participants asked to discuss the role of libraries in their communities, and to look for areas of improvement.
"It's disappointing that the review was set up in such a way that the main issue – the closure of 54 libraries – could not truly be addressed. It was not one of the questions that people were asked to contemplate or give their opinion on," said Dawn Lahey, president of CUPE local 2329.
CUPE has called for libraries to remain open, with funding restored to at least the levels from 2011.
The absence of elected representatives at the library meetings has been an issue from the start, with people storming out of an Oct. 6 session in St. John's, saying no one was there to answer questions.