Union's warning over Greenwich library transfer proposal (From News Shopper)

Union's warning over Greenwich library transfer proposal

4:05pm Friday 3rd February 2012 in News By Mark Chandler

Unison says it will protest at the council meeting

A UNION claims Greenwich Council is deliberately keeping people in the dark over its plans for the borough’s libraries.

Under plans scheduled to be decided on at a Valentine’s Day cabinet meeting, the libraries could be handed over to Greenwich Leisure Limited.

Unite is calling for a mass lobby of that meeting and has slammed the council, saying it has carried out no public meetings and has not even mentioned the issue in its propaganda freesheet Greenwich Time.

Branch secretary Onay Kasab said: “It’s about time they owned up and told us what’s going on.

“It’s appalling that the council have not even seen fit to mention the issue in its own newspaper. Clearly it is not confident enough to win the public argument.”

Mr Kasab said the union’s own consultation had surveyed 500 people and the overwhelming feeling was “disgust” with the proposals.

Protestors are concerned that a transfer of the libraries could see increased charges and facilities closed along with cuts to workers’ pay and conditions.

Mr Kasab said: “It’s become common in Greenwich. Transfer out the service so the council no longer pays for it and therefore makes a saving. The new company makes the cuts.”

Greenwich Leisure Limited, a leisure trust, currently leases the council’s facilities under a contractual arrangement to deliver services to residents.

A Spokeswoman for Greenwich Council said: “The Royal Borough of Greenwich has invested in improving the library service and a new expanded library has recently opened in Woolwich, containing a new range of books, additional study areas and 100 new computers.

“No decision has been made as yet to change the arrangements for delivering the library service and any such proposal would be based on continued improvement of the library service.

“Friends groups and library users will also be invited next week to attend a meeting in Eltham, Woolwich and West Greenwich to hear about the new proposals which will improve and retain Royal Greenwich's valued library services.”