SALT LAKE CITY – May Day was victory day for workers at Salt Lake City Public Library.
On May 1, 92% of the library’s workers voted to unionize, becoming the first public library workers in Utah to gain a voice on the job.
The victory comes after nearly two years of organizing. The employees launched their campaign on April 24, 2023, during National Library Week.
Now that they’ve formed their union through AFSCME Local 1004, the workers will take the next step — negotiating their first collective bargaining agreement.
“We as workers are looking forward to negotiating our first contract,” said Associate Librarian Christina Ordonez. “We’ve always been here for our community, and we finally have the tools to advocate for ourselves and for each other.”
Hello to the new union
AFSCME 1004 President Jerry Philpot welcomed the new union.
“This is a historic moment not just for Salt Lake City, but for the entire state of Utah,” Philpot said. “Library workers have always served their community with dedication, and now they will finally have a voice at the table to ensure their workplace is fair, safe and sustainable. We’re thrilled to begin contract negotiations and continue building a stronger library system for all.”
The union election followed a Jan. 29 resolution by the Salt Lake City Public Library Board in support of collective bargaining and a Feb. 4 vote by the Salt Lake City Council approving the library employees’ right to unionize.
The success in Salt Lake City mirrors a broader trend. AFSCME Cultural Workers United is leading the largest organizing movement for cultural workers across the country. We represent 45,000 workers at libraries, museums, zoos and other cultural institutions, more than any other union.
Utahns should reject anti-worker bill
Earlier this year, the Utah legislature passed House Bill 267, which bans collective bargaining for public service workers. But HB 267 hasn’t taken effect. A citizen-led referendum effort has gathered more than 320,000 signatures, putting it on hold and triggering a statewide vote.
HB 267 still looms in the background, but there’s growing momentum to protect workers’ collective bargaining rights. Philpot urged Utahns to reject HB 267.
“There are so many public workers affected by this bill — our amazing library workers, of course, teachers, firefighters, police and the thousands of city employees across the state, the people who keep your water and sewer systems running, who clear your streets of snow, who keep your neighborhoods safe, and ensure your city functions smoothly,” he said. “All these workers are who lawmakers are trying to silence — workers who deserve a say in their training, safety and working conditions.”
He urged Utahns to “vote in the best interests of their public workers,” adding: “This isn’t just about union rights — it's about protecting the people who serve our communities every single day.”