INDUSTRIAL ACTION by public sector union members has led to the closure of at least one public library and the curtailment of services offered by others.
Marino library in north Dublin, has been closed since Monday, January 27th. A sign on the door of the library, which is located opposite Fairview Park, states that the library is closed “due to national public sector industrial action”.
Staff members were in the building yesterday but declined to comment. They said they had been instructed by their union not to speak to the media about the matter.
A spokesman for Impact trade union said members had been instructed not to engage in work that they had been doing on a voluntary or “goodwill” basis. He said that this “appears to be the issue” that has led to the closure at Marino.
It is understood that workers at the library are acting on the basis that no attendant or porter has been hired at the library.
A spokesman for Dublin City Council, the local authority which runs the library, said it was closed “on direction from the unions”. He said that no other libraries were closed due to the industrial action.
One woman who was visiting the library said she sympathised with public sector workers, but that shutting the library completely was unnecessary. “I work for the HSE myself so I can see both sides, but it doesn’t make sense that they have to close the library completely.”
Elsewhere, services at other libraries were curtailed yesterday due to the work-to-rule.
Lucan library cancelled a storytelling activity for children which was due to take place yesterday, although a spokeswoman said the library still offers a wide range of voluntary activities to the public.
Labour TD Joanna Tuffy defended the action of the library workers in Lucan.
“It is of course a disappointment to parents, but library workers do a huge amount of voluntary work which is often taken for granted.
“They have a right to protest like everyone else.”
