KANSAS CITY, Mo — An election was held from 8 a.m. on Tuesday, May 19 to 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, May 20, for all eligible Mid-Continent Public Library (MCPL) workers to determine the official unionization of MCPL Workers United with Communication Workers of America (CWA) Local 6360.
For the past four years, Mid-Continent Public Library (MCPL) workers have worked to develop a campaign to fight for increased wages, secured spaces, open communication and part-time staffer benefits in its 34 branches — and headquarters — across Platte, Clay and Jackson Counties, respectively.
Its union “MCPL Workers United” and digital campaign launched in March. This included a campaign rally, which was held on March 27 at MCPL’s North Independence Branch — allowing MCPL employees from branches across the Kansas City metro to speak out on library working conditions and individual reasons for unionization.
However, to officially join CWA Local 6360, MCPL workers needed approval from the Missouri State Board of Mediation for the unionization of all eligible workers. And this eligibility, MCPL Early Literary Associate Kelli Mulligan Lindsey shared, did not include all MCPL employees.
MCPL Workers United submitted a declaration petition — which was signed by over 60%, or 360 individual, MCPL workers at branches across the Kansas City metro — to the Board of Mediation in March following MCPL Executive Director Aaron Mason’s original receival rejection.
Following this submission, workers eligible to unionize were determined by the Board of Mediation based on branch position, among other categories.
This election, Mulligan Lindsey shared, resulted in a 436 to 134 vote in MCPL Workers United’s favor, allowing the union to join CWA Local 6360 — forming the largest library union in Missouri, according to a CWA press release, May 27.
“For me it was surreal,” Mulligan Lindsey said in an interview. “I’d been working with my coworkers on this campaign for almost four years. We will finally be able to have a voice in policy decisions, rate of pay and working conditions; I’m hoping to get added benefits for part-timers.”
“We love the work we do, but for too long, we have been left out of key decisions. This win means we finally have a real voice to build a fairer workplace,” MCPL Colbern Road Library Center Customer Service Associate Jordan Noland said in a press release, May 27. “An overwhelming majority like this leaves absolutely no room for doubt. I’m so incredibly proud of everyone for standing strong together, and we’re ready to carry this exact energy to the bargaining table.”
Those who were eligible, which included 674 MCPL employees, received an email during the allotted time period to vote for unionization. However, Mulligan Lindsey shared that for MCPL Workers United to unionize its employees with CWA Local 6360, the campaign needed 50% plus one — or 338 workers — eligible voter approval.
While official results were provided by the Board of Mediation, MCPL Workers United shared it had collected exit poll data throughout the day, which confirmed that this threshold amount was met within the initial 12 hours of the election.
“It’s been a long time coming; it’s just an amazing feeling that this is finally happening,” Mulligan Lindsey said in an interview. “We’ve been working so hard for so long and we finally did it.”
“We are the heart and soul of the library,” MCPL Platte City Library Center Programming Associate Jennie Broyles said in a press release, May 27. “With this victory, we will now have the rights, protections and tools needed to provide our communities with the best library service in the country.”
And these election results were not only positive for the MCPL workers who worked on this campaign but also for CWA Local 6360 who fought with the organization to have it join its union.
“This enthusiastic group worked really hard for the last year and half to have an election. They put in late hours including on Saturdays and Sundays to make this all happen,” CWA Local 6360 President Tom Gebken said in an interview. “We are glad; We welcome them into local 6360 and CWA. We’re glad to have them as a partner.”
“Every single person was so important to this campaign; we want to give everyone a pat on the back,” Mulligan Lindsey said in an interview. “We couldn’t have done it without everyone. It’s not just for us; we’re pushing for this campaign for the betterment of the community.”
Julia Williams — a Kansas City native — is a reporter and digital producer for The Labor Beacon. A University of Missouri School of Journalism alumna, she previously served as the editor-in-chief of The Northeast News before joining The Labor Beacon staff.
Williams’s grandfather was a Claycomo Ford Motor Company retiree and avid UAW Local 249 supporter, allowing her to understand the union difference from a young age.
In her free time, Williams enjoys spending time with her family, traveling to see her friends and hanging out at home with her cat, Greta. She loves a good cup of coffee, seeing local, live music and shopping secondhand. With a passion for storytelling, she hopes to bring her knowledge of journalistic integrity to the Kansas City union community — giving union and labor workers a voice, while holding people in powerful positions accountable.
