Council threatened with industrial action amid claims it failed to protect library staff from 'harassment and intimidation'

The union representing the majority of civil and public servants is threatening industrial action against Cork City Council for what it says is the council’s failure to protect library staff against “harassment and intimidation”.

Forsa, the second largest union on the island of Ireland, has accused the council of “a dereliction of duty” in providing a safe working environment for library staff.

The allegation comes in the wake of an ongoing series of incidents at Cork’s Central Library on the Grand Parade involving protesters objecting to the availability of what they term “pornographic” books related to LGBTI+ matters.

During the incidents, many of which have been recorded and streamed on social media, library staff have been subjected to intimidation and “paedophile” slurs.

During an incident in early March, which was subsequently streamed, a copy of Juno Dawson’s This Book is Gay was ripped in half by a protester in Cork’s central library.

Forsa official Richy Carrothers, who is the union’s national secretary and head of local government and municipal, told The Echo the abuse of library staff was “simply unacceptable”.

“What we have seen is an unfolding and ongoing event regarding the harassment and intimidation of working and committed library staff as they go about their duties providing services to the Cork public,” he said.

“We put Cork City Council on notice that we have ongoing concerns and we have tried to engage with them, and in fact the latest letter that we sent to them, over two weeks ago, still hasn’t had a response.

“If Cork City Council fails to act, we will act ourselves,” Mr Carrothers said.

“There is a dereliction of duty on behalf of Cork City Council. Under the Health and Safety at Work legislation they have vicarious and legal commitments to providing a safe working environment, and that isn’t happening at the moment.

“It might be the case that we end up escalating this industrially, or asking our people to simply withdraw from the counter provision when these people come into libraries, because their primary responsibility is to their own health and safety in the workplace.” 

Mr Carrothers said his union would not allow its members to be used as pawns in some broader political game.

“Libraries are cathedrals of learning and inclusivity and we want to see that continue, but the current trajectory is of grave concern to us as a trade union.

“Cork City Council needs to confirm to us what legal avenues they are exploring in order to prevent this disruption, and in incidents where books have been damaged and people continue to be disruptive forces, what actions they have taken in terms of their own legal advice, be that the possibility of taking injunctions or talking to the gardaí about having these people removed on an ongoing basis,” Mr Carrothers said.

Council statement 

A spokesperson for Cork City Council told The Echo: “A number of libraries across the country, including the Central Library, have been subjected to campaigning from groups who object to LGBT+ reading lists which are available to young adults.

“Libraries are centres of learning at the heart of communities and have no role as censors.

“Cork City Council has been to the fore nationally when it comes to social inclusion and the diversity and inclusion agenda,” the council spokesperson said.

“The city’s newly acquired rainbow city status, a first among local authorities in Ireland, is one of many initiatives it has led on in terms of LGBTI+ community recognition and rights within our City.

“Cork City Libraries fully recognise the right to peaceful protest and has informed An Garda Siochána of recent activity. There are no plans to remove material from the library.” Councillor John Maher, whose motion of support for library staff was passed unanimously by Cork City Council in March, said it was unfortunate that Forsa members felt left with no other choice but to threaten industrial action, but he said that it was understandable in the face of abuse directed at library staff.

“The people who are protesting need to remember that while everyone has a right to peaceful protest, they need to be respectful, and you can’t video people, and you can’t shout slurs, because at the end of the day there’s an ordinary worker, an ordinary person, at the receiving end of your rage,” Cllr Maher said.

“It’s not acceptable that ordinary, hard-working people are being made to feel unsafe in their workplace.” 

Speaking on condition of anonymity, library staff told The Echo they have been “overwhelmed and heartened” by the outpouring of support they have received from members of the public, many of whom have dropped in chocolates and flowers.

The rainbow flag, which was raised over the Central Library for LGBTI+ Awareness Week on 15 May is, almost a month later, still flying proudly over Ireland’s first rainbow city.

Garda investigation

A spokesperson for the gardaí said: "An Garda Síochána attended a number of incidents at a premises in the Grand Parade area of Cork city throughout February and March 2023. There is a constitutional right to the freedom of assembly and freedom of speech, subject to statutory provisions. An Garda Síochána respects the right for citizens to exercise their constitutional rights."
The spokesperson stated that gardaí are investigating one incident of alleged criminal damage that occurred on Saturday, March 11, 2023. 

"An Garda Síochána continues to liaise with officials of Cork City Council in relation to these incidents," he concluded.