HomeMy WebLinkAbout12-26-19 Public Comment - B. Muller - Bozeman Public Library Fair WagesFrom:Barb Muller
To:Agenda
Subject:Bozeman Public Library
Date:Thursday, December 26, 2019 2:26:17 PM
December 26, 2019
To The Bozeman City Commissioners:
In a letter to the editor on December 18th, 2019 titled: Bozeman: focusing now, thinking
about tomorrow, Chris Mehl listed the need for higher wages as one of the complex issues
facing the city of Bozeman. We ask that the focus, for the moment, be on low city wages.
The Circulation staff at the Bozeman Public Library is among the lowest-paid employees of
the city. Most Circulation staff members are earning between $13.00-$14.00/hour. A 10
year veteran of this
department is being paid, $13.47/hr. This is the wage even after Union negotiations were
enacted in November 2019. Employees have repeatedly requested fair pay and pay that
reflects the hard and dedicated work of this department but the answer is always the same,
city budget constraints. This seems preposterous when an assistant director position was
created and then hired in February of 2019 being paid a salary of almost $90,000.00.
Again, this seems preposterous when a new book sorter is being purchased for the library
which costs $145,000.00. Granted, the money for the sorter comes from CIP (Capital
Improvement Project) funds, nonetheless, money can be made available for that which is
considered a priority.
Employees have offered a solution: reclass the pay range from Library Aide II to at least
Library Assistant. The pay band of Library Aide II is outdated and no longer accurately
defines the work of the Circulation Staff. The Library Manager has admitted that there is
little difference between the two job classifications. The most recent response regarding
this solution was that we would have to wait and see what happens regarding the Parks
and Rec initiative, not to be determined until the summer of 2020. The ball continues to be
kicked down the field and workers continue to feel undervalued and brushed off.
We ask that the city resolve this issue regarding fair wages. Low morale among staff, which
has also not been satisfactorily addressed, is a grave concern and refusal to address this
pay disparity only worsens this problem. We thank you for reaching out to Bozeman
residents as per the December 18th, 2019 editorial. We hope to partner with city
commissioners for a fair and speedy solution to this situation.
Respectfully,
The Bozeman Public Library Circulation Department:
Mariann Fields
George Kittrell
Monika Marshall
Barbara Muller
Kelley Smith
Anita Varley
Amy Zarndt