I’m offering a two-part update of participant responses to my Low-Morale Experiences at Unionized Library Workplaces Data Collection Project. I started the project in late 2022 to learn what role(s) unions play during employees’ low-morale experiences. This first of two parts summarizes quantitative data, and the second part (coming soon) will share qualitative data. See the Inaugural brief of this project.
The following data reflect 89 participant responses.
- 82% are currently experiencing workplace abuse/neglect (low morale);
- 40% indicate their low-morale experience has lasted between 1 -3 years; 38% indicate more than 3 years
- 90% are female
- 72% are Caucasian; 14% are Hispanic/Latinx; 9% are Asian/Pacific Islander; 7% are Multi-racial; 1% are Native American/Indigenous
- 46% are experienced librarians/archivists (more than 10 years’ experience); 24% are new (0-5 years’ experience);
- 56% work in public libraries; 42% work in academic libraries
- 92% are union members
- 80% share that their abusers are library administrators
- 63% share that their abusers are supervisors or managers
- 42% share that their abusers are colleagues
- 32% share that their abuses are library users
- 24% share that their abusers are union representatives
- 48% did not report the abuse to their union representative
- Of those who did report:
- 39% reported system abuse
- 31% reported emotional abuse
- 28% reported negligence (neglect)
- 27% reported verbal/written abuse
Part 2 is coming – in the meantime, consider participating in this important project. I will offer periodic updates.
