Minneapolis-Hennepin County Library Merger Faces Salary Snag

-- Library Journal, 3/23/2007

The merger of the Minneapolis Public Library into the suburban Hennepin County, endorsed by the respective library boards and the Minneapolis City Council, has hit a snag because of the challenge of harmonizing two different unionized compensation systems. The Hennepin County Commission has twice postponed a vote on endorsing the merger, noting that library employees from the city earn more and work shorter weeks, according to the Star-Tribune. According to a county briefing report, union officials have asked that Minneapolis employees be paid "their current rate, even if the rate of [pay] exceeds the max rate of their comparable Hennepin job class." Two Hennepin County Commissioners have said they won't support that. A previous article in the Star-Tribune explained that city library workers generally work a 37.5-hour workweek, while county library employees work 40 hours. Also, city workers get somewhat higher salaries, and more vacation and sick days.