<!doctype html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
</head>
<body>
<div style="" class="default-style">
<div>
Oh yes I am. I do this every year, and I think ( and hope) I have the ear and empathy of several board members this time around. I also told the most reluctant board member that when I ran an ad for help last month, we received 2 applications. I feel it is the rate that we pay that kept folks from applying.
</div>
<div>
<br>
</div>
<div>
One suggestion was . Hazard Pay. If the board doesn't want to give a decent pay increase, pay all staff that have been with us the last 13 months... a big bonus. same money across the board.
</div>
<div>
<br>
</div>
<div>
Wishing you good luck and will light candles for all of us who are trying to do right by our staff.
</div>
<div>
<br>
</div>
<div>
@@@
</div>
<div>
<br>
</div>
<div>
We at *** are doing just that! We recently advocated for all of our paraprofessional staff to receive a $1.75 raise so that they are above $15/hour and all employees will receive a merit-based raise as well. We have advocated tirelessly with our board over the last few years. We are the only library in SE Michigan that provides full time status and benefits to all positions requiring any sort of degree beyond high school. We were also the only library in our area to keep every single staff member employed with their average hours through the entirety of the closures last year.
</div>
<div>
<br>
</div>
<div>
We have been able to do this in our low-income community by developing solid plans and discussing the results of our employment practices on a regular basis (i.e. thanks to this plan that the board approved last quarter, we were able to accomplish A, B, and C). We are now at the point where the board is so invested in the progress they've seen that they are asking us to look at an additional millage proposal just so we can hire more staff. They want to see what we can do with more capacity.
</div>
<div>
<br>
</div>
<div>
And we are almost done having to debate whether or not staff should receive raises-- it is always built into our budgets (which are approved before the board approves pay raises). Our board knows to expect it and is comfortable knowing that we have successfully implemented it in years past. Those first few years I was here, they were harder to persuade, because there was a strong culture of scarcity we had to work on re-routing, but I think that we've moved on from that to a culture of abundance. We operate within our means but we also make our budgets work hard for our community. Our board loves what we do with our budgets because they see the results those investments have returned.
</div>
<div>
<br>
</div>
<div>
Good luck. I know it can be an uphill battle but it's worth it! What you accomplish with your board will change the climate for so many libraries all around you.
</div>
<div>
<br>
</div>
<div>
@@
</div>
<div>
<br>
</div>
<div>
We just started our fiscal year in April and when we were working on the budget I only asked for COL raises due to the fact that we were all paid during the shutdown and didn't feel right about asking for more. This next year will be a completely different story and I will be looking for larger staff raises even though the official COL numbers may be low because we are certainly seeing higher costs here.
</div>
<div>
<br>
</div>
<div>
@@@
</div>
<div>
<br>
</div>
<div>
I do a salary study every year for all staff. I look at the Library of Michigan Statistics, what libraries around us are paying (those who I consider to be our competition for jobs), and what the city pays its employees who are at the same or similar level. This year, our Library Assistants will get a salary adjustment in an effort to entice candidates and retain current staff.
</div>
<div>
<br>
</div>
<div>
@@@
</div>
<div>
<br>
</div>
<div>
I have been trying to slowly raise library staff wages. We still start most new employees at minimum wage, but if employees are dependable, conscientious and worth keeping, I have been trying to make their annual pay increases reflect that we want to keep them.
</div>
<div>
<br>
</div>
<div>
@@@
</div>
<div>
<br>
</div>
<div>
When we were preparing the 2021 budget, I had a discussion with the library board about how our wages were not competitive and it was making it very hard to attract quality staff. When I told them McDonald's starts their staff at a higher rate than we do, that really got their attention. They agreed to a $ .50 hourly raise across the board.
</div>
<div>
<br>
</div>
<div>
@@@
</div>
<div>
<br>
</div>
<div>
The university where I work froze raises for everyone this year because of Covid finances.
</div>
<div>
<br>
</div>
<div>
They did, however, give us a $500 bonus after our yearly performance evaluations were finished last month. It was a generous and totally unexpected surprise.
</div>
<div>
<br>
</div>
<div>
@@@
</div>
<div>
<br>
</div>
<div>
We did and got approval for me to give up to a 6% merit increase this ear to staff.
</div>
<div>
<br>
</div>
<div>
@@@
</div>
<div>
<br>
</div>
<div>
We are contractually obligated through union negotiations for raises so we really don't have wiggle room. However, the past few years we have been able to give staff PILOR funds - Pay in Lieu of Raise. While it doesn't increase their base pay, it is something extra and most staff appreciate it.
</div>
<div>
<br>
</div>
<div>
@@@
</div>
<div>
<br>
</div>
<div>
We don’t receive COL raises & I will not advocate for any raises. We are still doing curbside only & basically have next to nothing in revenue from fines, copies & faxes. The board has been very generous in other ways this year.
</div>
<div>
<br>
</div>
<div>
@@@@
</div>
<div>
<br>
</div>
<div>
We don't get yearly raises. Since I've been at the library (2004) we've only had maybe 4 raises. We did get a raise this past year though that I advocated for for the entire staff.
</div>
<div>
<br>
</div>
<div>
@@@
</div>
<div>
<br>
</div>
<div>
I tried to get a higher wage increase for my employees, but it failed. All employees received a straight 4% raise across the board, which was better than nothing.
</div>
<div>
<br>
</div>
<div>
I tried to explain to my board that at the current time, we are not even competitive with Rallys, Wendys, Culvers, Taco Bell, etc., wage; but no luck. No to mention the fact that we have absolutely NO benefits; no health insurance, retirement, disability, sick pay, life insurance, etc.,
</div>
<div>
<br>
</div>
<div>
@@@
</div>
<div>
<br>
</div>
<div>
I didn't champion for it but the board voted to give us 5% this year. It wasn't unanimous, but it was enough. I was very surprised. Some board members recognized how stressful it's been for us I guess, and not just the pandemic. I felt like it was an apology of sorts, for me being under constant attack by the board president for two years and how that affected the whole staff. Even better than the raise, they elected a new president. It's a new day at the library! BTW, a village council member was very angry about our raise and criticized the library board at a council meeting. Very weird.
</div>
<div>
<br>
</div>
<div>
@@@
</div>
<div>
<br>
</div>
<div>
I was able to advocate and receive board support for significant raises for all staff this Spring. Ours were low and I think we are getting into a competitive range. All full-time employees are at a minimum of $15.00 per hour now and beginning wage for part-timers is up to $11.00.
</div>
<div>
<br>
</div>
<div>
@@@
</div>
<div>
<br>
</div>
<div>
<br>
</div>
<div>
<br>
</div>
<div>
<br>
</div>
<div>
<br>
</div>
</div>
</body>
</html>