CLEVELAND, Ohio — Almost 400 Cleveland Public Library employees could go on strike soon if a labor agreement can't be reached. 

  • Negotiations center on wages, safety and security, and preventing the outsourcing of certain jobs
  • If a strike happens, youth services and an after school meal program could be at risk and library hours may be reduced
  • There's a plan to keep as many branches and programs going as possible

The union representing Cleveland Public Library employees has given notice that it plans to strike on February 4. 

Erick Walker works as a senior subject department clerk at the Cleveland Public Library. He says right now, there is low staff morale.

"Wages for our top administrators have been increasing exponentially, whereas ours have remained stagnant for the last ten years," said Walker

In addition to wages, Walker, a member of the Service Employees International Union District 1199, says negotiations center on safety and security at the library locations, as well as preventing the outsourcing of certain jobs.

"The library wants to take the jobs of material processing and they want to hire outside companies to do the work that they do. We haven’t seen another cost analysis from the library to justify even removing those individuals," Walker said.

If the workers go on strike, library officials say youth services and an after school meal program could be at risk, and library hours may be reduced.

There is a plan to keep as many branches and programs going as possible.

“Taxpayers have been generous in saying they want all of their libraries open and we take that very seriously. So, we want to be strategic to make sure that there are services somewhere near them," said John Skrtic, director of public services with the library. 

"Everything is on that table and we just try to come up with solutions to see what can be done. I don’t think anything is a no. We look at the fiscal responsibility of the library seriously and try to create a balance so we can all stay at work and make sure that we get the public what they need," said Skrtic.

The library and the union will be meeting on Thursday, with the hope of coming to an agreement.