Halifax library workers accept deal to end strike, branches to reopen Thursday

Members of the union representing workers with Halifax Public Libraries have accepted a new collective agreement, ending a nearly month-long strike and paving the way for branches to reopen Thursday.

The Nova Scotia Union of Public and Private Employees Local 14 issued a statement Sunday saying the majority of its membership voted to accept the agreement.

But union president Christina Covert said a significant number of members voted against the offer, and more work needs to be done to improve pay and working conditions for library staff.

The union did not share details of the agreement.

About 340 workers at libraries across the Halifax region have been on strike since Aug. 26 as they fought for improvements to wages they said were far behind other libraries in Canada.

When the strike began, employees were working under a collective agreement that expired in April 2023. Librarians make between $59,705 and $68,224 a year under that agreement, while service support workers who are the lowest paid employees at Halifax Public Libraries make between $35,512 and $40,460 annually.

By contrast, the lowest paid library workers at the London Public Library in London, Ont.a city with a comparable population and cost of living to Halifax make at least $37,756, according to their collective agreement.

Covert saidunion members are grateful for the public support they received throughout the strike, and she believes that support was instrumental in reaching an agreement.