SIL Employees United

09/21/2023

Part of being a union is having a voice and sharing input. We're posting testimonials so you can hear from fellow staff members why they support unionizing!

"Libraries should be places where democracy prevails." -Pam, Library Associate at Library on Wheels

09/04/2023

Happy Labor Day! Labor Day celebrates workers and workers’ rights, so we’d like to take a moment to appreciate all the labor activists who have come before us & laid the groundwork for our own union.

08/30/2023

Part of being a union is having a voice and sharing input. We're posting testimonials so you can hear from fellow staff members why they support unionizing!

"We work hard for SIL and deserve a stronger say in our working conditions." -Abby, Librarian at Arlington Library

08/22/2023

Part of being a union is having a voice and sharing input. We're posting testimonials so you can hear from fellow staff members why they support unionizing!

"Unity is strength." -Michael, Library Associate at Mariner Library

08/16/2023

With our successful certification we are officially a union. Though we are still working on forming a bargaining committee and don’t have a contract yet, we are still protected under Weingarten Rights.

One of the most important elements of Weingarten Rights is that union members have the right to ask that a representative be present during any meeting they reasonably believe might lead to discipline.

Under Weingarten Rights:
-You are allowed to request a representative at any meeting you reasonably believe to be investigatory in nature in regards to performance, suspect may be a disciplinary talk, or result in adverse consequence to your job status or working conditions
-You only need to ask once for a representative
-Your representative can be a union steward or a fellow employee
-You can not be retaliated against for requesting a representative or for refusing to answer questions without a representative present
-You can seek advice and guidance from your representative, though they can not tell you what to say

Having a representative present is your right as a union member, but your employer or supervisor does not have to tell you about these rights. It is important to be aware of all that Weingarten rights covers, and to share this information with fellow union represented employees.

Learn more on the National Labor Relations Board website at https://www.nlrb.gov/about-nlrb/rights-we-protect/your-rights/weingarten-rights

08/13/2023

Having a union means having a voice at the table and being able to share input, no matter your position.That's why we're sharing testimonials from fellow staff members about why they support unionizing!

"The library is better when we stand together!" - Lois, Librarian at Snohomish Library

08/09/2023

Union supporters are important, both real and fictional, like Miles O'Brien. We appreciate all the support we have received in our journey to becoming certified.

Want to show your support? Follow us here, and find more ways to support us on our website: https://www.silemployeesunited.com/support-us

Thank you to GingeryArtistry who created an out of this world image.

08/04/2023

Part of being a union is having a voice and sharing input. We're posting testimonials so you can hear from fellow staff members why they support unionizing!

"We deserve better accomodations & better inclusivity!" - Katie, Circulation Assistant at Service Center

07/30/2023

The cards have been counted and the results are in: we are officailly a union! We achieved certification with a supermajority of support among colleagues.

Our work isn't done yet, however. Now it's time to put together a barganing committee and fill out a bargaining survey so we can begin the process of negotiating our first contract.

If you have any questions about this process, please don't hesitate to reach out to the SILEU Organizing Committee at [email protected].

07/27/2023

Having a union means having a voice at the table and being able to share input, no matter your position. That's why we're sharing testimonials from fellow staff members about why they support unionizing!

"WE are the library's greatest resource and we ALL deserve to be heard." - Jordyn, Librarian at Lake Stevens Library

07/23/2023

07/19/2023

Check out this spot-on write-up from My Edmonds News that details where we are at now in the certification process.

As we've mentioned before, card counting is not always a fast process. While we're still waiting on the official results, we remain positive that we will have the majority we need in order to become a union.

Keep your eyes on this page for more updates as we continue on our journey to become a union together!

Any day now, employees at Sno-Isle Libraries could officially unionize, after years of being one of the only non-unionized library systems in the state. Sno-Isle Employees United (SILEU)’s petition to organize is pending under the Washington State Public Employment Relations Committee (PERC). They...