VPL Cuts Internet to Poor

Downtown Eastside residents eager for computers have been denied access to the fourteen computers on the 3rd floor of the Carnegie Centre during the strike by civic workers.  They have also been denied access to the two computers providing internet access to the public in the small Vancouver Public Library on the first floor of Carnegie. 


Most computers spread throughout the Carnegie building are operated by the Vancouver Public Library.  Most are supervised by volunteers in the building. 
 
Only three computers in the basement of Carnegie remained available to the public during the strike. But you had to be a "senior" -- 40 yrs. of age qualifies as a senior in this neighbourhood where people die young -- to use them.  And you got only half an hour rather than the usual one hour on the computer, to give more people a chance to have some computer time during the strike.
 
Now the Vancouver Public Library has said, "No."
 
Carnegie Director Ethel Whitty announced at the August 2nd Carnegie Board meeting that the Vancouver Public Library had told her that all computers had to be turned off.  Whitty also mentioned these instructions from the VPL in her written Director's Report: "Vancouver Public Library announced today that all of their computers in the building must be turned off during the strike.  I know this causes real hardship for patrons."
 
In her Director's Report, Whitty stated that the cafeteria at Carnegie, a skeleton volunteer program (volunteers earn vouchers to be exchanged for food in the cafeteria), and the mail service (people with unstable addresses have their mail sent to Carnegie's front desk) were the only services considered essential by Labour Relations.  There was no mention of the three basement computers being considered essential.
 
At a Community Relations Meeting a week before the Board meeting, Whitty had mentioned the three computers when talking about essential services.  She said three computers in the basement were being left on so that people could do job searhes. She also said that Labour Relations had decided that the cafeteria and a limited volunteer program, the two being inextricably linked, were essential services.  She implied that the three computers had been included in the Labour Relations decision but did not say so explicitly.  
 
What she did say was that neither side had been happy with the decisions by Labour Relations.  The City had argued that most services at Carnegie should be available, a concession CUPE had made during previous strikes.  CUPE had wanted the entire building shut down this time.
 
All public access computers at Carnegie are now shut down.  The cafeteria remains open, operated by paid staff and volunteers.    
 
For more CUPE strike-related news, go to Downtown Eastside Enquirer