(CHICAGO, ILLINOIS) - Joining the wave of Union Organizing among Cultural Workers, Employees of the primarily Chicago-based American Library Association (ALA) have announced they are forming their Union with American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 31.

The announcement came in an open letter to Co-Workers and was signed by 40 ALA Employees.

When certified, the Union - which will be known as American Library Association Workers United (ALAW)/AFSCME, will represent more than 100 ALA Workers.

In their letter, the Library Association Employees said they’re forming their Union to “protect Staff’s work, well-being and ALA’s future.”

AFSCME represents more than 35,000 Library Workers nationwide - more than any other Union, including some 3,000 AFSCME Council 31 Members who work in Libraries in Chicago, its Suburbs - Peoria, Rockford, Aurora, at State Universities, the Newberry Library and elsewhere.

The Union also represents thousands of Employees of Non-Profit Organizations throughout Illinois.

Founded in 1876, the American Library Association is the world's oldest and largest member organization for libraries. It promotes libraries and the freedom to read, offers professional development opportunities, publishes several periodicals, oversees many awards - including the Newbery and Caldecott Medals, advocates for libraries and Library Workers at the State and Federal levels, and more.

Members of the ALAWU Union Organizing Committee will begin gathering signed Union Cards from their Co-Workers. When they have gathered super-majority support, they will ask ALA leadership to voluntarily recognize their Union.

To Directly Access This Organizing Labor News Story In Its Entirety, Go To: American Library Association employees forming union with AFSCME | AFSCME Council 31

AFSCME-Provided Photo.