Member Spotlight: Gaby Perez

As the first point of contact when a customer steps foot inside the library, Gaby Perez takes immense pride in the work she does as a Customer Service Specialist for the Howard County Library System. She's worked for the library system for over 9 years. "I love to see that my work is important to the community. It's so rewarding to see people love to come to the library because we are here for them," says Gaby. "The library's not just about books; it's about a community."

Back in the fall of 2023, Gaby and her coworkers at the library system began the process of organizing their union, Howard County Library Workers United (HCLWU). Once they had certified their union, Gaby was chosen to be one of 5 members on their bargaining team to negotiate their first union contract. "At the beginning, I thought unions were primarily about wages and benefits, but when I started learning more, I began to see how unions can help us as staff shape workplace policies and protect workers' rights."

Their organizing paid off, and after direct actions in the workplace and a successful rally outside of the library system's annual Evening in the Stacks fundraiser, HCLWU reached a tentative agreement earlier this month.

Reflecting on their union's journey since then, she credits much of their success to their union's efforts to keep members informed through meetings, email updates, one-on-one conversations, and more. "Having a strong and united membership makes all the difference at the bargaining table, and I'm very proud of all of the organizing and work that we did," says Gaby. "There were ups and downs, and we had to stay patient and engaged, but I think our persistence paid off -- all thanks to the collective power of our union."