Sunday 29 July 2012

My letter to the Harrow Cllrs in favour of library privatisation!

Dear Cllrs Perry and Anderson


I read with amazement your amendment to the motion put forward by Cllrs Macleod-Cullinane and Osborn, are you really in favour of the privatisation of your Library Service? I find this an incredible position for Labour Councillors to take!
Are you aware of the protests against library privatisation in Wokingham and Croydon/Wandsworth and the concerns about JLIS's management of Hounslow Libraries? Do you know about the strike by Unite members in Greenwich over the outsourcing of their libraries to GLL?
LSSI, one of the key players in the US, have a shocking reputation for employing non-unionised workers, cutting pay and terms and conditions and basically ignoring US labour law, they are touting for UK library contracts, would you really consider handing over a treasured public service to this lot?

"The results of the Let’s Talk consultation had indicated that residents did not want the libraries to be outsourced to anyone other than the Council. The Divisional Director acknowledged this but advised that the proposal was that the management of the libraries be commissioned but that the Council would retain sovereignty over its library service and would continue to drive the strategic vision for the service.The alternatives, given the current financial imperatives, could be even more unpalatable for Members and residents."

This is an incredible statement, you hold a consultation, those consulted say that they don't want their libraries to be outsourced but you are choosing to ignore this and move forward with your proposals! So the process was a sham, undemocratic and unnacountable!

Please listen to what the serice users want and rethink your proposals, you don't want to go down in history as the ones who sold off the family silver!

Yours

Alan Wylie (Librarian, Library Campaigner and Trade Unionist)
www.dontprivatiselibraries.blogspot.com

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