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Committees

Working Groups

Member Action Team (MAT)

Committees

Committee chairs and members are appointed by Local 1215’s President and approved by the Executive Board.

Any Local member in good standing may apply to join or lead a committee.

To learn more or get involved in a committee, contact the Local or log in for committee chairs’ contact information.

Communications Committee

The Communications Committee – formerly the Newsletter Committee – manages the Local’s digital newsletter, social media, website and other digital communications. The committee’s goals are:

  1. To provide accurate and transparent information to members about the Local’s activities, procedures, and general operation.
  2. To provide clear, actionable content that allows our patrons and allies to quickly understand the issue at hand and know exactly how to participate or respond.

If you have experience making social media content, writing blogs or newsletters or are willing to learn these skills, this committee is for you.

Election Committee

The Election Committee is an ad hoc committee convened when needed for the election of officers, convention delegates, and other elected positions of Local 1215.

Health and Safety Committee (HANDS)

The Health and Safety (HANDS) Committee is a “joint” committee that is established by our collective bargaining agreement (Article 4, Section 4.2). The committee is composed of both union and management representatives and meets regularly to identify, inspect, and correct unsafe or unhealthy working conditions.

Insurance Committee

The Insurance Committee manages distributions from the Local’s “Good and Welfare” fund.

Membership Engagement Committee (MEC)

The Membership Engagement Committee manages outreach to current members. The committee plans charitable and social member events, assists with contract campaigns, and undertakes miscellaneous other efforts to benefit and engage the current membership.

Organizing Committee

The Organizing Committee does outreach to enroll and support new union members and works to bring unrepresented job titles into the bargaining unit. The committee also collaborates with Council 31 to organize library branches across Illinois; connects with sibling Locals in and beyond Local 1215’s bargaining unit; and collaborates with area labor and community organizations to provide mutual support and solidarity.

PEOPLE Committee

The PEOPLE Committee works with representatives from other Locals in Region I (North-Eastern Illinois) of Council 31 to advance pro-worker legislation and to vet and endorse candidates for political office.

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working groups

Working Groups are created by vote of the membership. These groups may activate during specific, high-need times, whereas committees meet regularly.

To learn more or get involved in a working group, contact the Local or log in for committee chairs’ contact information.

Safety Advocacy Working Group

The Safety Advocacy Working Group was formed in the summer of 2024 to explore new approaches to advocating for our members’ safety. The group crafted a plan for next steps that was approved by the membership at the end of 2024. Join the working group to continue building our advocacy strategy, or a committee to help us put these next steps into action!

Defense Working Group

This working group was created at the January 2025 members’ meeting with the aim of organizing to ensure that our members are prepared for visits to our libraries by immigration enforcement. The group has helped formulate our Local’s requests to management and advocated for clearer guidance, policies, and training for CPL staff in how we are expected to handle encounters with ICE (and ICE-deputized agents including U.S. Marshals and others) at our worksites.

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member action team (MAT)

MAT Captains

As a MAT Captain, you have an important role to play in sharing information, questions, and concerns from co-workers at your location back to the Steward team. The Local’s goal is to share out information to MAT Captains at least once a month.

MAT District Coordinators

MAT District Coordinators have some additional responsibilities, such as: checking in with their district’s MAT Captains regularly, maintaining updated lists of MAT Captain contact information, helping organize quick actions like the Juneteenth petition, and distributing buttons/flyers/etc within their district.

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