Library union raises concerns over proposed operating hour changes
The union representing Windsor's library workers has expressed "major concerns" over proposed changes to the operating hours of library branches across the city starting in 2025.
The Windsor Public Library (WPL) board of directors is set to meet Tuesday, with uniform hours for all branches on the agenda.
Currently, the hours of operation vary by branch and season, with "summer" (June to August) and "winter" (September to May) schedules allowing branches to stay open longer during the fall and winter months.
A report from administration recommends standardizing these hours so that all branches operate on the same schedule year-round.
Board chair Mark McKenzie said the proposal is aimed at simplifying the system.
"We're looking for consistency and trying to be fair and equitable to all our branches," McKenzie said.
“We want to make sure that the public knows what time the libraries are open instead of them always having to look up on their phone.”
Under the proposal, all branches would be open from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays, and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.
McKenzie noted that these hours better reflect actual patron usage.
“We’ve gone to the library branches at 9 a.m. and there’s not that may people in there,” he said. “Normally there’s more staff than actual patrons.”
He added that closing earlier could also enhance staff safety, particularly at the central branch, where he said security issues have been reported during the last hour before closing at 9 p.m.
While the union acknowledges the addition of Sunday services and the overall expansion of operating hours, CUPE Local 2067 President Katie Vlanich raised concerns that the new schedule might reduce accessibility.
“Currently, you can access a library in Windsor from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.,” she said. “It might not be your closest branch, but you can access a library.”
McKenzie mentioned that the new schedule would include hiring three additional staff members, but Vlanich argued that this wouldn’t be enough to cover the changes.
"This will mean four days a week where we're operating with minimum staffing," she said. "How will we be able to serve the public effectively?"
Vlanich is urging anyone with questions or concerns about the proposed changes to attend the board of directors meeting, scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Tuesday at Windsor City Hall.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6993663.1723166222!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
U.S. presidential historian predicts results of November elections. Here's who he says will win
An American presidential historian is predicting a Kamala Harris presidency as the outcome of the upcoming U.S. elections in November.
7-Eleven ordered to pay B.C. woman $907K for pothole injury
A British Columbia Supreme Court judge has ordered 7-Eleven Canada to pay a woman more than $900,000 in damages after she tripped on a pothole and broke her ankle in the parking lot of a convenience store.
NDP MPs embrace distance from 'radioactive' Trudeau brand, as Singh convenes caucus in Montreal
Just days after demolishing his deal with Justin Trudeau’s Liberals, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh is holding a three-day strategy session with his MPs in Montreal, where his MPs are embracing their new-found distance from what one called Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's 'radioactive' brand.
PwC plans to track employees' location while at work. Is this practice legal in Canada?
As PricewaterhouseCoopers plans to enforce its back-to-office policy by tracking employees in the U.K., one employment lawyer explains whether the practice is legal in Canada.
Young camper diagnosed with life-threatening Powassan virus during northern Ont. trip
A nine-year-old boy contracted an often-deadly disease during a in northern Ontario camping trip in July.
Buyers say they lost life savings to a Saskatchewan company selling luxury vacation condos
In 2022, Tanya Frisk-Welburn and her husband bought what they hoped would be a dream home in Mexico.
Viral Olympian Raygun ranked No. 1 breaker in the world by sport's governing body
Australian breaker Rachael Gunn, the Olympian widely known as B-Girl Raygun who went viral after her performance at the Paris Games, is now ranked the No. 1 breaker in the world.
Canadian fast food chains create value menus to win back customers
Canada’s restaurant industry is in a slump as money conscious consumers are eating out less and spending less when they do go out.
Inquiry into U.K. hospital where a nurse killed 7 babies will not review evidence against her
An inquiry into an English hospital where a neonatal nurse was convicted of murdering seven babies and trying to kill seven others began Tuesday as her supporters push to clear her name.