Labor Union Organizing in the Archives

Abstract

Unions are organized to advocate for workers' rights in the workplace, whether that be in a factory, an academic library, or a federal archives. Panelists spoke about their perspectives on unions in libraries and archives and the union history of their organizations. What is it like to be a union member during a time when there are actions to undermine national and international unions? How does this impact the ability of the union to effectively negotiate with management? Organizing efforts in the Bakers Union, a key labor collection at the University of Maryland, will be highlighted as an interesting example from the 1970s, before the Reagan administration, to show the differences in the labor situation when compared to now.