Toronto Public Library Workers Union Local 4948

05/28/2026

By failing to declare gender-based violence an epidemic our governments fail to treat it with the seriousness it requires.

But through collective bargaining, we can materially improve the lives of workers experiencing domestic and sexual violence through protected leaves and job and compensation protections.

At today, our local's VP, Christie Paschakis, urged union leaders across the province to join the 86 CUPE locals who have prioritized this work at the bargaining table. Our local is proof that this necessary language CAN be won.

"CUPE Ontario should also be urging progression on these issues internally: supporting locals, developing model language, training bargaining committees, and making paid domestic violence and sexual violence leave the standard across this union," Christie said.

"If we want to set the tone for society, we should first set the standard in our own workplaces."

05/27/2026

Over the weekend our local's Political Action Committee participated in the Toronto Workers Summit.

About 1000 folks from unions across the GTA shared powerful organizing stories and campaigns from both unionized and non-unionized workers.

Thank you to CUPE Local 79 for spearheading this important work!

05/11/2026

Last Thursday we held our first Steward Council of the year.

We've got a great group of area chairs, vice-chairs and stewards committed to ensuring our workplaces are safe and fair for our members!

05/07/2026

In 2011, faced with an austerity budget, our local fought back. We led a successful strike while Rob Ford was mayor and raised the profile of the local.

At the Toronto & York Region Labour Council's Leadership Institute Maureen OReilly (past president of Local 4948) spoke about the lessons learned and Brandon Haynes shared how that fight inspired many library workers to be more politically active and to see a role for themselves within their union.

Read more about the fight back here: https://shorturl.at/WeZLi

05/05/2026

A couple of weekends ago, 4948 President Brandon Haynes helped facilitate the Toronto & York Region Labour Council's annual Leadership Institute.

Over the course of two weekends, the Labour Council hosts labour activists from unions across the city to uplift and encourage new leaders.

05/04/2026

“Competitive wages are critical for a safe, reliable system,” says Sumit Guleria, president of CUPE 2. “Our members are falling behind comparable public sector jobs, despite performing highly specialized work that is unique in this country."

Solidarity to our CUPE Local 2!

CUPE Local 2 is committed to reaching a fair deal, and that happens at the bargaining table.

What we’ve seen from the TTC so far is escalation, including moving to conciliation before meaningful negotiations even began and requesting a no-board report yesterday, triggering a countdown toward a strike or lockout. That raises serious questions about whether the focus is on bargaining or applying pressure to reach a deal ahead of the World Cup, at a time when our members are facing a cost-of-living crisis.

Our members are proud to keep Toronto moving safely and are ready to play a key role in delivering a successful FIFA World Cup for Toronto. This contract timing doesn’t change that, but it does underscore the need for a fair, reasonable deal.

04/28/2026

Every worker deserves to come home safe from work.

Today, on the National Day of Mourning, we stood with our fellow Toronto unions in remembering comrades who were killed or injured on the job. We also renewed our fight for safer workplaces and stronger protections for workers. Because an injury to one is an injury to all.

Since 2025, we've lost five members of our CUPE Ontario community in workplace incidents. That's five too many. We hold them and their loved ones in our hearts.

Miguel Escalante Ledesma, CUPE 1000
Nabil El-Ahmed, CUPE 5167
Jose Castillo, CUPE 416
Richard Anstett, CUPE 79
Neil Harris, CUPE 54

04/28/2026

On April 28, CUPE members across the country gather to honour workers who have been killed or injured on the job. We mourn the loss of four members of our CUPE family in 2025:

-Miguel Escalante Ledesma, CUPE 1000, Ontario
-Nabil El-Ahmed, CUPE 5167, Ontario
-Kulbir Kalia, CUPE 3338, British Columbia
-Jose Castillo, CUPE 416, Ontario

We also mourn the very recent loss of the following members:

-Richard Anstett, CUPE 79, Ontario
-Neil Harris, CUPE 54, Ontario

We hope you will join CUPE members and workers around the world in renewing our shared commitment to preventing workplace injuries and deaths and ensuring the health and safety of all workers.
Le 28 avril, les membres du SCFP de tout le pays se rassemblent pour rendre hommage aux travailleuses et travailleurs tués ou blessés au travail. Nous déplorons la perte de quatre membres de la famille du SCFP en 2025 :

-Miguel Escalante Ledesma, SCFP 1000, Ontario
-Nabil El-Ahmed, SCFP 5167, Ontario
-Kulbir Kalia, SCFP 3338, Colombie-Britannique
-Jose Castillo, SCFP 416, Ontario

Nous rendons également hommage aux membres qui nous ont récemment quittés :

-Richard Anstett, SCFP 79, Ontario
-Neil Harris, SCFP 54, Ontario

Joignez-vous à nous et aux travailleuses et travailleurs du monde entier pour réaffirmer notre engagement à prévenir les blessures et les décès au travail et veiller à la santé et à la sécurité de tout le monde au travail.

04/16/2026

Libraries are one of the last truly public spaces in our city.

They serve as cooling centres in the summer and warming centres in the winter. They are also resource hubs that offer a space where people don't have to justify their presence. Meanwhile, the population of unhoused folks in Toronto doubled between 2021-2024.

This reality, stemming from a lack of funding for social supports, often forces library workers to work outside of their scope.

Yesterday, to commemorate the National Day of Mourning, Ray Clark, Health Promoter at the Parkdale Queen West Community Health Centre, spoke about how our members can look after themselves and speak to power while working through the opioid crisis.

04/14/2026