Central Mo. library system workers vote to unionize

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Workers at Daniel Boone Regional Library in central Missouri have voted to form a union, library officials said in a statement Monday.

The new union will be the only active public library union in the state.

The results showed 101 employees in favor of unionizing with 55 opposed, for 65% approval, according to the Missouri State Board of Mediation.

Daniel Boone Regional Library has branches in Columbia, Fulton, Ashland and Holts Summit.

Employees covered by the new DBRLWorkersUnited union will be represented by the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees, or AFSCME.

Union supporters cited concerns about pay and benefits, safety and health policies, and communication with administrators as reasons they began the union effort.

The next step is contract negotiations between the library and the union. No date has been set to begin that process.

Margaret Conroy, executive director of the Daniel Boone Regional Library, said in the release the library's employees job satisfaction has always been important to administrators.

"We are looking forward to learning more about their specific concerns through the bargaining process," she said.