Disgruntled library workers in Bromley are set to strike again against what they claim is unfair pay and working conditions in the borough.

Libraries in Bromley will be impacted from June 6 as staff take on GLL in a long running saga over vacancies and pay.

The 50 library staff, who are employed by GLL, will be striking over pay and vacancies at Bromley’s 14 libraries.

Unite Union, which is orchestrating the strikes, say GLL bosses are not filling vacant posts and asking staff to be managers without paying the proper rate  and failing to pay owed.

Unite regional officer Onay Kasab said: “The near unanimous vote for strike action by our Bromley library members sends a strong message to GLL bosses that: ‘Enough is enough’.

“Our members will walk out on 6 June and strike until a settlement is reached – this action will lead to the closure of the borough’s 14 libraries.

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“We regret the inconvenience this will cause the public, but this strike has been a long time coming caused by the profit-hungry GLL with a management committed to ruthlessly salami-slicing our members’ pay and employment conditions.

“The evidence for this is incontrovertible – GLL promised the Tory-controlled Bromley council that it would implement library service cuts of over 25 per cent if it were awarded the contract to run this much-loved public service.”

Unite is seeking a six per cent increase in basic pay from April 2019 for its members working for GLL in more than 140 leisure centres and libraries in 16 London boroughs.

GLL manages libraries on behalf of Bromley Council, both of which have been approached for comment.

Workers announced a strike last month over similar grievances, with GLL saying at the time the pay claim was “unrealistic” and calling industrial action “regrettable”.

A Spokesperson for GLL said: “There will be little public sympathy for this unmerited and regrettable industrial action. With the holiday season approaching, Unite are treading a well-worn path of calling a strike – which affects all library users but potentially harms the prospects of students revising for exams.

“We have a small number of vacancies in the service and are in the process of filling these.

“We operate a fair deal on pay but the union’s six per cent pay claim is unaffordable and unrealistic.  All staff have already received the two per cent public sector pay award the majority of their council colleagues have had.”

“As a not-for-profit social enterprise, we are very proud of our record of keeping libraries open and expanding the number of visits to libraries as well as book issues.

“Our door is always open to discuss genuine issues but this is definitely not one.  We will be looking to keep as many libraries open as possible but we urge Unite to call off this self-defeating strike which they themselves admit must inconvenience customers.

"All libraries are open as usual today (Thursday June 6) but with a third of librarians expected to strike,  the union’s acknowledgement that customers will be inconvenienced remains a source of regret.”