Workers in Lambeth’s 10 libraries, including Brixton, plan to strike for one day over cuts to the service on Wednesday 2 July unless mangers engage in more talks about their impact.
Lambeth council has agreed to cut about £1m from its libraries budget – about a quarter of the total which has not increased for several decades.
It said said the reduction in funding would be made possible by “efficient use of rotas” and by not filling vacant posts.
Faced by an overall funding crisis after years of austerity and soaring numbers of homeless people that it must house, the council said the vacancies would not affected the work of libraries, so there was no need to use the council’s budget in a way that was not necessary.
But members of the trade union Unison are in dispute with the council over the effect of the cuts on terms and conditions, jobs and staff numbers.
Unison says that more than 90% of library staff are members and all of those who voted in a ballot were in favour of strike action.
Its members in the borough are to discuss stepping up their campaign.
Picket lines outside libraries are planned from from 8.30am to 10pm on 2 July.
