Librarians will be axed from secondary schools across money to save cash

Irate UNISON branch secretary Marie Quigley said her members were “rightly angered” about the way the council is treating them as it moves to enact a budget cut to abolish librarians in all of its secondary schools.

The decision was made as part of the local authority’s budget process in 2020 but has been delayed due to various factors including the pandemic. However, last week the council finally acted to axe the jobs.

Ms Quigley said: “Two-and-a-half years ago, despite continued opposition from Unison and communities, the council decided to cut all of its school librarians.

“Unbelievably, the librarians have had to wait until last week to for NLC to contact them. Our members are rightly angry about how they have been treated by their employer. It’s an appalling way to treat highly skilled and dedicated staff.

“The promised review of library services has so far failed to materialise, leaving kids in schools without a crucial support at a time where education services feeling the effects of a decade of cuts on top of the disruption caused by the pandemic. Staff and kids in North Lanarkshire are being let down again.”

For more see Page 4.