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Union has made sacrifices

In Cindy Zapotocky’s letter to the editor on Nov. 14, she claims, “it is time to go to war with some unions!”

I proudly represent Local 270-L, the employees of the Spokane Public Library. Currently we are in the process of bargaining a successor collective bargaining agreement with the library. Our goal is to provide the public with library service and to keep employees working. The cuts the city budget calls for cannot be met with concessions from the rank and file only. We have done that in the past but that is not newsworthy.

We have more part-time and fewer full-time employees. Library employees have had smaller settlements in past agreements to provide service to the patrons and maintain staffing levels. In short, Local 270-L has worked with management during lean times, will continue to do so, and no member of Local 270-L has addressed the City Council, only library management.

Before you throw rocks at the union, please get your facts straight.

Dean Vercruysse

Spokane

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