I joined HPL as a Call-In Information Clerk in 2017. During this time, I did my best to try to take shifts at every branch I could. In July 2017, I took a temporary Information Clerk position at Turner Park, which became permanent in March 2018. This January, I took a temporary part-time position as a Library Technician, rotating between Tech Services, Local History & Archives, and Redbook. These days I’m working at the My Apartment branch, editing records for Redbook, and trying to keep myself sane.

If elected, I hope to be another voice for the little guy. According to the current HPL Operating Budget Presentation, 58% of our workforce is full-time and 42% is part-time. Union bylaw states that there should always be one Executive member who is part-time, but when our workforce is split almost down the middle, I believe our Executive should reflect that.

We are living in unprecedented times and we do not know what work will look like when we return to our branches. Programming has changed and service hours may increase. At the same time, there are employees currently working through this pandemic who have no paid sick days. Library workers are the heart and soul of HPL, and while it’s fantastic that the library is looking at ways to expand our services, we need to remember that we’re the ones who make that happen. Ensuring all staff are protected and feel safe to return to work will be my highest priority.

I have been attending every union meeting I can (work schedule permitting) since 2017. While I’ve only been working for HPL for 3 years, I believe I can offer a new and valuable perspective, especially as we move into negotiations later this year. Having worked with some members of the Executive, I’ve seen the hard work and dedication required to do this job and I am ready to work just as hard on behalf of all of our members.

Our last meeting gave me so much hope for the future. Before HPL, I worked at the Hamilton Candy Factory and Walmart, and to speak frankly, I know what it’s like to work in a non-union (often anti-union) environment where no one fights for you. We work best when we work together, and regardless of whether I earn your vote, I encourage everyone to continue attending the meetings. I believe that all of the nominees are excellent, and I know that whoever is elected will do their absolute best.

Take care and stay safe,
Frank

May 11, 2020