‘Absolute disgrace’: Unions join together for protest against job cuts in Hackney’s libraries

Protest on the steps of the Town Hall. Photograph: Julia Gregory

Union campaigners have again hit out at library redundancies that they claim are “basically about cutting essential services”.

Members from education, acting and public sector unions joined a protest outside Hackney Town Hall ahead of the annual ceremony to appoint a new council speaker.

They criticised the Town Hall’s decision to make six librarians compulsorily redundant, including the chair of Hackney Unison, Brian Debus.

Overall, the council is planning to cut 19 jobs from the service and has consulted with 99 full- and part-time employees.

It said the move would see staff get jobs at higher grades with higher salaries as part of a restructure designed to save £250,000.

Seventy-six roles are being “deleted” under the plans, with 57 new jobs to be created.

None of the council’s libraries are closing in the shake-up.

Unison said the move comes “despite there being more than enough posts for everyone” and challenged the council’s decision over those selected for compulsory redundancy.

David Davies from the National Education Union said: “If people are not being redeployed, it is an absolute disgrace. People should be able to remain in their job.”

He added: “This is basically about cutting essential services.”

He said the council “should be standing with these people”, and added that many young people’s early experiences of reading come from library visits.

Campaigners accused the Town Hall of “using the worst element of the private sector”, with librarians having to re-apply for their jobs.

Onay Kasab, Unite’s national lead officer, said: “I would like to say that we don’t expect that from a Labour council, but the sad reality is we do now.”

Chris Kennedy, cabinet member for culture, refuted the criticism: “We are doing the work of a Labour council in running a balanced budget.”

He said the unions were involved in designing the recruitment process and said anyone who is unhappy with decisions over their future can appeal or go to an employment tribunal.

Decisions over employment are based on people’s performance at interview and “not whether they were a union rep”, he added.

“Everyone who went to interview was offered interview training and everyone was given the interview questions prior to interview.”

He said: “I am confident we have followed a really robust process.”

Cllr Kennedy added that three union reps have been offered roles following the interviews.