Members of the Dartmouth College Library Workers Union overwhelmingly voted to join Council 93 of the American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees, according to the group’s Twitter on June 13. College library employees indicated their intention to unionize in late April, citing budget cuts, staff reductions and stalled promotion programs.
“We look forward to working with the union to further the important role the library plays in supporting Dartmouth’s academic mission,” College spokesperson Diana Lawrence wrote in an email statement.
In an email circulated to library employees, Dean of Libraries Susanne Mehrer wrote that the vote is not yet certified, but she anticipates that “it will be soon.” In addition, the negotiation process is expected to begin in the following months.
The DCLWU becomes the third recognized union at the College in under two years, following the unionization of the Student Worker Collective at Dartmouth in March 2022 and the unionization of the Graduate Organized Laborers at Dartmouth this past April. The SWCD and GOLD both unsuccessfully sought voluntary recognition from the College prior to their unionization vote, according to past coverage from The Dartmouth.
The AFSCME is one of the largest unions in the country, according to the Union Lawyers Alliance. AFSCME Council 93 is an affiliate that represents more than 45,000 people in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont, according to their website.
