CLEVELAND, Ohio — The Cleveland Public Library, locked in a labor dispute with the union representing library workers, is facing criticism for using its taxpayer-supported social media accounts to publicize information surrounding the dispute.

Service Employees International Union District 1199, which represents about 400 librarians, librarian assistants and custodians, is consulting with its attorneys to determine whether the library’s actions broke its own policies and state law, which prohibits public entities like the library from using public money to support or oppose “any labor organization or any action by, on behalf of, or against any labor organization.”

The library’s social media policy incorporates state law, and also prohibits postings that “support or opposes any labor organization or any action by, on behalf of, or against any labor organization.”

The library said that its communications, which included a statement regarding a potential union strike, and snippets from a fact sheet on the dispute, are legal.

“The Library’s communications you refer to have not been for the purpose of opposing a labor organization or its actions, but have been for the purpose of providing information to the public about the operations of the library system by including information on, among other topics, the Library’s finances, wages, expenditures, and the impact a strike would have on Library operations, as well as its plans concerning negotiations. The law specifically permits a public entity to provide such information to the public," the library said in a statement. "The Library decided that communicating on social media and by newsletter distribution would be the most direct and quickest way to provide information to the public, since it is important that our patrons who use our facilities know where and when the library branches will be open.”

Cleveland library workers represented by SEIU District 1199 have been without a contract since the start of the year. The library and the union have been in negotiations since September, but have failed to reach an agreement. The union this month voted to authorize its bargaining leaders to issue a 10-day strike notice at any time, if it come down to it. The union said it would not consider issuing the strike notice until it sits down with the library system on Friday.

When the library tweeted “claim” and “FACT" to its 17,400 followers on Twitter, users piled on the library for addressing the labor dispute using a publicly-funded social media channel. They called it “inappropriate” and a “waste of tax dollars.”

Claim: @Cleveland_PL is the Twitter account of a publicly funded library.



Fact: @Cleveland_PL is the Twitter account for anti-worker propaganda by totalitarian management.



You should stop this waste of tax dollars, resign, and pay the workers. — Tax cars & fund transit (@eatrighteous) January 12, 2020

Please stop using the library’s social media to express these ideas that should be expressed on individual twitter accounts for management. This is simply unbelievable. — Jinny Williams (@LibrarianJinnyW) January 12, 2020

Think you need to change this twitter handle to Cleveland_PL_Management — BlakeMan 2000 (@BlakeBrodar) January 12, 2020

This is a wholly inappropriate use of the library's twitter account. If you have issues bring them to the negotiating table. Really bad form. — Fairycakes (@Xalo_Erkald) January 13, 2020

I don’t want to see this on the @cleveland_pl twitter account. This account should represent the entire organization, not management’s position on union negotiations. Be better, do better.

Respectfully,

A Cleveland tax payer and library user — bpsween (@bpsween) January 11, 2020

Is @Cleveland_PL really using its social media for union busting? Really?! — Caitlin Wells (@wellscai) January 12, 2020

The library also posted a link to its fact sheet about the contract talks and its statement on a potential strike to its Facebook page. In addition, Library Board of Trustees President Maritza Rodriguez emailed patrons about the labor dispute, claiming the union “mischaracterized the negotiations process.”

“In recent weeks, SEIU has staged public displays, mischaracterized the negotiations process, and shared the intention to take a vote to strike on January 8," she emailed in a Jan. 8 letter from the library’s public relations department. "A strike would potentially cause disruption in service to Library patrons and impact a variety of programs, special events and partnerships that the Library has in place to serve the public. The truth matters. Given this situation, the Library is sharing the following information to help clarify several concerns raised by SEIU and provide context for the negotiations.”

The union condemned the social media posts and newsletter.

“The workers of Cleveland Public Library find the actions of Library executives repugnant and their misleading and inaccurate depiction to be insulting, divisive, and not reflective of the values shared by CPL staff nor our patrons,” SEIU District 1199 spokesman Anthony Caldwell said in a statement. “We are in consultation with our outside council regarding this potential violation of the Ohio Revised Code and their own social media policy and are considering what action, if any, we will take to hold management and Board of Directors accountable to the taxpayers who fund our local libraries.”

Read more on this subject below:

Cleveland Public Library workers consider strike authorization vote

Cleveland Public Library workers give union the OK to strike, if agreement cannot be reached

Cleveland Public Library director gives ‘State of the Library’ at City Club of Cleveland: Watch live