Support Sno-Isle Libraries Employees United!

Sno-Isle Libraries Management and Board

We are excited to announce our intent to unionize with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 2 as Sno-Isle Libraries Employees United. At Sno-Isle Libraries (SIL), we strive to see that “everyone in our community is connected to their library.” We bring this vision to fruition every day, but too often decisions are made by people far removed from the day-to-day operations of community libraries. We, who are most impacted by these decisions, are rarely consulted. We, too, are library stakeholders.

Through unionizing and securing a legally protected seat at the table, we can forge a collaborative relationship with leadership that affords us equal footing in deciding matters that affect us directly.
Establishing our union will strengthen our voice within our organization, protect our jobs from sudden and involuntary changes, and put us in the position to advocate for changes that will ensure that our organization is truly guided by the principles of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.

We recognize that leadership may be moved to make gestures and improvements when they learn we are organizing. While we welcome positive changes in our workplace, we know from long-standing experience that we cannot rely on them to consistently keep our interests in mind. Therefore, we remain resolute in our decision to form our union to advocate for ourselves and each other.

Add your name to the petition to support Sno-Isle Libraries Employees United and urge SIL management to respect our legal right to organize and refrain from spending time or resources on anti-union activities.

To: Sno-Isle Libraries Management and Board
From: [Your Name]

As members of the community, we stand by your staff who are forming their union as Sno-Isle Libraries Employees United through AFSCME Council 2. We recognize that SIL workers play an essential role in advancing the libraries' mission to see that "everyone in our community is connected to our library."

As librarians, pages, service and content coordinators, delivery drivers and so much more, SIL staff provide invaluable services to our communities and deserve to have their legal right to freely organize respected, without fear or intimidation from management. They are library stakeholders and are the best agents to advocate for themselves and changes that will improve the library system for all of Snohomish and Island county.

We urge you to respect workers' wishes and upon demonstration of majority support, refrain from union-busting activities as they pursue their clear path toward union recognition.

In solidarity,