Library shake-up

By Ed Merrison
A MAJOR staff shake-up at Eastern Regional Libraries (ERL) has sparked complaints of a lack of reason, fairness and community awareness.
More than 50 staff are to be relocated across the municipalities of Knox, Maroondah and Yarra Ranges in a move that some staff and their union representative fear may disrupt family and work routines and destroy relationships with the community.
Staff told The Mail they were notified of the changes by email on Thursday, 13 July and have until tomorrow (Wednesday) to make a submission in writing against the proposed changes, which are due to be implemented on Monday, 14 August.
The moves, which ERL chief executive Joseph Cullen said would not affect the opening hours, services or programs of its libraries, are aimed at better utilising the skill sets of staff and revitalising the organisation.
Mr Cullen said ERL had tried to keep relocated staff within their current municipal area and to keep timetabled days and hours as close as possible to the current model.
According to Mr Cullen, circulation of the draft roster was designed to allow employees a chance to respond to the proposal.
“Unless (employees) actually see what the change is likely to be, how can they possibly comment?” he said.
Mr Cullen admitted there had been some opposition to the plan and said he expected to receive further written submissions, but stood by what he branded an opportunity to re-energise and revitalise the branches.
But Mr Cullen’s attempts to justify the moves were rejected by one staff member who said staff were being shifted without consultation or consideration of how it would affect their lives.
“We put a lot of time and effort into establishing a good relationship with patrons to make sure the community feels welcome and a lot of that goodwill just goes.”
The staff member, who chose to withhold her identity, said employees were already doing a good job and it made no sense to talk of skill sets when employees had the same skills.
“I think we are fresh. We are, on the whole, an enthusiastic set of employees and we generally get on with each other and the community we work with,” she said.
Another long-serving employee had similar complaints, saying the changes were coming too quickly and with no good reason.
“The majority of staff are very upset that it’s being done the way it is, and there actually appears to be no logical reason whatsoever for most of the changes,” she said.
The staff member, who also wished to remain anonymous, said it was change for the sake of change and appeared to be part of an endeavour to apply a business model to a community service.
Australian Services Union industrial officer Michelle Jackson, who represents the ERL employees, said she would be consulting staff members this week to determine their position and would be disputing any change that could not be reasonably justified.
Ms Jackson said the staff’s relationship with the community should have been taken into account, as well as family responsibilities and transport logistics that may affect employees being moved.
“With some of the changes the ERL can demonstrate an operational need, but I don’t understand the logic of some of the proposed moves.
“I suspect it’s more of a philosophical position some CEOs have of getting staff out of their comfort zones and I don’t necessarily agree with it,” she said.