Thunder Bay Library renovations spark union concerns over potential layoffs The Thunder Bay Public Library's planned Waverley branch overhaul collides with CUPE labour negotiations, raising fears of job cuts amid a $1 million government grant and a community fundraising drive. The Thunder Bay Public Library (TBPL) is preparing for a major renovation of its busiest branch, the Waverley Library, a project that is expected to begin in January and last for roughly a year. The new design, revealed for the first time at an open‑house event attended by the public, will include a larger children's library that is more than twice the size of the current space, additional programming rooms, an Indigenous knowledge centre and a restoration of the original entrance. While the other library branches in the city - Brodie, County Park and Mary J.L.CUPE Contract Status Affects WorkersBlack - will continue to operate during the construction, the Waverley location will be closed for the duration of the work. The renovation runs parallel to negotiations between TBPL management and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) about the status of library staff contracts. CUPE 3120, which represents more than 60 Waverley employees, has been without a contract for over a year.President Margaret Demillo warned that the library's plans for layoffs, which the union says are part of the employer's stance on the upcoming construction, could jeopardise the jobs of many workers.Union Warns Of Inevitable Layoffs"The renovations are a separate issue from bargaining, but we are told that layoffs are inevitable," Demillo said at the rally outside the Waverley branch. The union's concerns were echoed by local NDP MPP Lise Vaugeois, who argued that a thriving library system cannot be achieved if its staff are threatened with job cuts.TBPL chief executive officer Richard Togman stressed that the majority of the Waverley workforce will be redeployed to other branches and urged the community to support the capital‑fundraising campaign that aims to raise $2 million, in addition to the $1 million in government funding already announced. He highlighted the importance of public involvement to ensure that new programming spaces, updated technology, and expanded collections can be realised."The government can cover infrastructure and safety upgrades, but we need community help to make the library's new services visible and accessible to all residents," he said. The rally, which drew about 70 supporters, underscored the sense of urgency felt by the union as the October 16 strike deadline looms.The use of open‑house presentations to showcase renovation designs demonstrated a commitment to transparency, but also revealed the tension between the library's expansion plans and the labour negotiations that are still ongoing. If a strike were to occur, it could delay the project and further strain the relationship between the library system and its employees.The case of the Waverley Library renovation illustrates the wider dilemma faced by many public institutions: balancing the need for modern facilities and improved services with equitable labour practices and long‑term workforce stability. As the debate continues, the community will be watching to see whether TBPL can deliver on its promise of revitalised public spaces without sacrificing the livelihoods of the staff who keep the library running daily.Keywords: "Thunder Bay Public Library", "Waverley renovation", "CUPE union negotiations", "library funding", "worker layoffs"