For Immediate Release
January 27, 2025
Contact: Neil Bhaerman, nbhaerman@oft-aft.org
Delaware County District Library Workers Win Union Vote
DCDL workers are the fifth Central Ohio library system workforce to form a union with the Ohio Federation of Teachers
DELAWARE, OHIO — A strong majority of staff at Delaware County District Library (DCDL) voted to form their union, Delaware County United Library Staff (DCULS), according to secret ballot election results released today by Ohio’s State Employment Relations Board (SERB). The results showed that 82% of valid ballots voted in favor of the union. The new union, which includes 85 librarians and library workers, is the sixth group of Ohio library workers – and the fifth in central Ohio – to successfully organize with the Ohio Federation of Teachers since 2021.
“Library workers joined together across all of our branches because we knew it was the only way to have a voice in the policies that affect us and our libraries,” said Megan Shoemaker, an Adult Services Librarian at the Liberty Branch Library. “Now that we’ve officially won our union recognition, we’re looking forward to working together with our Board and administration to not only strengthen our library system, but to ensure every staff member is respected and compensated fairly. Together we can and we will provide the best possible resources and services to our community because if one thing is true, it’s that we all love our library.”
DCULS was organized in affiliation with the Ohio Federation of Teachers (OFT), who represent active and retired public school teachers, charter school teachers, school support staff, higher education faculty and staff, library workers and social work professionals in Ohio. They join librarians and library workers from Worthington Libraries, Grandview Heights Public Library, Pickerington Public Library, Upper Arlington Public Library, and Athens County Public Libraries who have all joined OFT in recent years.
“I’m so proud to welcome Delaware County library workers into our growing library union family,” said Jade Braden, a Circulation Assistant at Northwest Library. “As a former DCDL worker, current Worthington Libraries worker, and Secretary for Worthington Public Libraries United it brings me great joy to gain a sixth library system in our collective mission to raise standards for library workers and defend intellectual freedom.“
During the union campaign, the library’s Board of Trustees voted to remain neutral and let employees decide for themselves whether they wanted to form a union. Despite that pledge of neutrality, the library’s Director included misleading anti-union talking points at a mandatory staff meeting. Under Ohio law, that triggered a requirement for the employer to allow equal time for a pro-union message. However, the library denied the union’s request for equal time. Workers filed an Unfair Labor Practice charge with SERB over the illegal denial of equal time.
“Delaware County library workers fought hard to form their union. On top of the challenges that workers usually face, they had to also navigate a situation where their Board was pledging neutrality but their Director was blatantly not acting neutral,” said Melissa Cropper, President of the Ohio Federation of Teachers. “Instead of getting rattled, they just continued organizing their co-workers and building their union, because workers win when we stand together in unity.”
Now that their union vote is concluded, DCULS organizing committee members plan to survey all union-eligible workers about contract priorities and to choose a representative team of workers to bargain their contract with library management. They also plan to do community outreach in support of an expected library funding levy later this year. In 2024, Athens County Public Libraries workers used their new union resources and connections to successfully campaign in support of a funding levy.
“Having grown up in Delaware County and seen its changes over my lifetime, there have been enormous changes that we never even imagined. Our community size and its needs have changed, but our commitment to the Delaware County community hasn't,” said Kaleb Kramer, an Adult Services Specialist at the Liberty Branch Library. “Our new union empowers all levels of staff to leverage our community relationships and experiences in partnership with our management and Board to keep pace with the rapid changes happening in our county.”
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