WASHINGTON – AFSCME President Lee Saunders released the following statement recognizing National Library Workers’ Day on April 8, 2025:
“This National Library Workers’ Day, AFSCME proudly salutes the dedicated workers who power our nation’s public libraries — safe havens of learning, opportunity and respite. Whether it’s helping a child discover the joy of reading, assisting job seekers, or connecting people with vital resources, library workers are the unsung heroes at the heart of every community.
“We are proud to count tens of thousands of these essential workers in our union family — the librarians, assistants, clerks, tech specialists, and more who keep our libraries running and our communities strong. But despite their vital contributions, library workers are facing rising threats on the job, from shrinking budgets to censorship, intimidation, and even violence. The Trump administration is defunding the only federal agency which support libraries, the Institute of Museum and Library Services, while Congress is considering massive cuts to Medicaid and other federal programs that will cripple state and local investment in all public services — including libraries.
“AFSCME members nationwide are getting organized in response to these attacks. We’re growing our union, building strength in numbers and taking a collective stand against anti-worker efforts to defund our public services. If billionaires want to rob our communities of our libraries, they’ll have to go through the labor movement — and we are not moving.”