Stoppages every Friday and Saturday at public libraries

BarcelonaThey first started in the network of Libraries of Barcelona and the Diputació, but now the staff stoppages of the Public Reading System have spread throughout Catalonia. As of this Friday, public libraries in Catalonia will go on an indefinite strike – called by the CGT – which includes stoppages every Friday and Saturday until the labor dispute, which they claim affects the sector, is resolved. They are demanding better working and salary conditions, and denounce a lack of staff, work-life balance problems, and a "precariousness" of the service.

This Friday morning, numerous libraries appeared closed with signs on their doors that read: "The library is closed due to strike. We apologize for the inconvenience." The closure surprised regular users and students who had traveled there to study, especially since the university entrance exams (PAU) will take place in a few days (June 9, 10, and 11). In addition, a hundred workers gathered at the Faculty of Information and Audiovisual Media of Barcelona.

Laura Solà, a member of the strike committee and director of the Volpelleres Library in Sant Cugat, explained that the extension of the protest to all of Catalonia responds to demands shared by the entire sector for years. "We are very atomized at the level of administrations and territory, and we demand that the administrations work together and commit to the Public Reading System of this country, because we are essential facilities," she stated.

For this reason, representatives are demanding a coordinated response that guarantees the future of the public reading system. While acknowledging the impact that the closure of facilities may have, Solà defended the legitimacy of the protest. "We are fighting for the public services of this country, so that they can have a future," she assured, referring to the students who habitually use the libraries as study spaces.

The sector's demands

Among the main demands are the opening of a specific negotiation space to address the working conditions of library staff; a salary improvement that allows for the recovery of part of the purchasing power lost in recent years, as well as the review of benefits linked to management and public service functions. They also demand a reform of hourly structures, a review of Saturday working conditions and associated compensation, in addition to strengthening staffing levels.

Another of the notable demands is the approval of an update to the public reading map of Catalonia. Taís Sánchez, a worker at the Neus Català Library in Sant Julià de Ramis, defends the need to agree on a framework agreement that guarantees a common legal framework for all staff in the sector, regardless of the administration they depend on.

For now, the administrations have not made any joint proposal public to respond to the sector's demands. The Barcelona Libraries Consortium maintains that discussions remain open and that formal channels of dialogue with staff are being maintained. In the agreement being worked on, the entity states, a reduction of the working day to 35 hours per week and the regularization of all personnel are planned.