If you have visited our library recently, you may have noticed that our staff members have chosen to wear buttons to indicate that there are ongoing contract negotiations between the library staff and the Bryant Library. At this time, we would like to inform the community of the current status of these negotiations.

As this is the first time in the library's history that a contract is being written, progress has been slow. Over a year ago, representatives of the staff asked to be formally recognized as a collective bargaining unit. As a result, the board of trustees through its attorney, and staff representatives and their attorney, have engaged in extensive negotiations during the past year. Staff received increases for the 1998/1999 fiscal year, which ended June 30, 1999.

The staff presented the library with a request for a labor contract and a comprehensive set of salary, benefits and work rule demands. If approved, these demands would increase the library's compensation costs to levels which are, in the opinion of the board of trustees, both unrealistic and unwarranted.

Our recent survey of the community confirms a high level of satisfaction with our library. The Bryant Library would not have this high standing without a knowledgeable and service-oriented staff. In recognition of this fact, our staff is among the highest paid within the premier group of Nassau County libraries.

The board of trustees feels a strong responsibility to keep future budgets within reasonable bounds that will be acceptable to the community. In this regard, the board will continue to monitor negotiations with library staff representatives, but will only agree to terms which are fair to the community and within the resources that are reasonably expected to be available to the library. The board would like to resolve this matter promptly; however, recent communications from staff representatives and their attorney indicate that staff and the board of trustees are far apart on key financial considerations.

We hope this letter is helpful in understanding the issues that affect your library. It is important to the board of trustees that we complete this process in good faith and expeditiously. We thank our patrons for their continuing support.

Fran Gaynes,

President,

Bryant Library Board of Trustees