Torontonians to Rob Ford: Hands off our libraries!
The Toronto Public Library Workers Union commissioned Forum Research to ask Torontonians about Ford's plan to close and or privatize libraries (poll conducted July 4, 2011). The people of Toronto responded - no way!
The poll found that 74 per cent of Toronto residents disagree with the
idea of closing local library branches as a way of solving the city’s
deficit. When it is their own local branch that is threatened, the
proportion of those who ‘strongly disagree’ is 64 per cent.
The poll was commissioned by the Toronto Public Library Workers Union
(TPLWU), Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 4948. The local
represents 2400 Toronto Public Library workers.
Not only are library branch closures off the table as far as Toronto
residents are concerned, 55 per cent disagree with privatizing the
delivery of any city services, and more than one third disagree
“strongly”.
When the Toronto Public Library is mentioned as a privatization target,
seven-in-ten or 71 per cent of Torontonians disagree, and more half (55
per cent) disagree “strongly”.
"We are concerned about threat of further branch closures and the
prospect of privatization, so we wanted to learn what the public really
thought about these issues," says Maureen O'Reilly, president of the
TPLWU CUPE Local 4948.
The poll also shows that Torontonians feel branch closures are a
political issue. More than half (55 per cent) say if they knew their
local councillor supported closing library branches, it would affect
their vote in the next municipal election “a great deal”. In total,
seven-in-ten (71 per cent) Torontonians say knowing their councillor
supported library branch closures would affect their vote.
There is also a petition you can sign to say you don't want the libraries closed or privatized:
www.ourpubliclibrary.to.
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