Watch AFSCME Director of Research Kerry Korpi stand up to attacks on public employees and our pensions during an appearance on CNBC. At issue: should states cut public pensions to balance ballooning budgets?

International Secretary-Treasurer Lee Saunders was sworn in as AFSCME’s 39th International Convention concluded in Boston. Click headline to read more.

 

Delegates to the 39th International Convention of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO, (AFSCME), today elected Lee Saunders to be the next Secretary-Treasurer of the union representing 1.6 million public service workers.

AFSCME activists rallied Wednesday on Boston Common, in solidarity with Council 93, to prevent the loss of critical public services and to pass the jobs bill now stalled in Congress.

President Gerald W. McEntee used his keynote address on June 28 at the 2010 AFSCME Convention to demand that Congress pass a critical jobs bill — and that politicians be held accountable for their promises to working people. View video below or visit the Convention website here.

Because of AFSCME MD members the governor's executive order grants state employees paid administrative leave as a way to mitigate the negative impact on our families. This paid administrative leave was a proposal submitted to the state by AFSCME MD during recent negotiations. AFSCME MD represented employees will receive administrative leave with our pay beginning July 1, 2011. The number of leave days for each employee will depend on the actual number of furlough days an employee is scheduled to take this year.

We've already made a difference. 
As a result of negotiations, employees will receive the difference in overtime paid and what it should have been for this past fiscal year in one lump sum. Our bargaining team will meet with the state again Wednesday, July 28th and Thursday, July 29th.

Wear a "WE DEMAND DIGNITY" button or sticker on the 28th and 29th 
to show our solidarity. Call AFSCME MD at 410.547.1515 for more information.

Click here for a list of our Bargaining Team representatives.

On May 4th, Governor O’Malley signed our Correctional Officers Bill of Rights (SB 887).
Before the ceremony, AFSCME MD thanked Senator Don Munson, Senate sponsor and Delegates Galen Clagett and Steve DeBoy House sponsors our our bill. Governor O’Malley praised the work of Correctional Officers and indicated his firm support for improving our rights.

On the last day of session the House of Delegates cast the final vote on the Correctional Officers Bill of Rights by unanimously passing the bill that had been previously amended and passed in the Senate. The success of this legislation can be attributed to a number of factors.

First, compelling arguments made by dozens of AFSCME Correctional Officers who lobbied relentlessly throughout the session made it clear that they needed a more fair disciplinary process.

Second, the O’Malley administration put this legislation on their radar screen and spent many hours negotiating the details of the final bill with AFSCME so that the bill would be financially viable, while also significantly improving rights for Correctional Officers. Once on board with the bill, the O’Malley Administration sent the Secretary of State John McDonough to meet with legislative leaders to urge them to support the bill.

Finally, key legislators such as Senator Don Munson R -Hagerstown and Delegate Galen Claggett D - Frederick worked hard to gain support from fellow legislators. The Senate overwhelmingly supported the bill which passed it 44 to 2, and the House passed it unanimously even after efforts to derail the bill by seeking a last minute amendment proposed by MCEA and offered by Delegate Chris Shank R - Hagerstown.

This is a great win for Correctional Officers and shows what AFSCME members can do when we stand together!

Read more about the Correctional Officers Bill of Rights.

Fox 45 in Baltimore recently did a special report on an AFSCME study of contracting for state services.  Watch the full report here.

AFSCME members from across the state traveled to Annapolis on March 15th to stand up for state services and their jobs!

AFSCME Maryland recently completed a review of  contract spending in Maryland. 

Maryland, like nearly every state in the nation, faces continuing fiscal challenges in fiscal year 2011. However, the state can still protect public services from the worst cuts to services and employees proposed so far. Maryland can instead:

• Cut spending on contractual services to save an estimated $200 million from the general fund;
• Eliminate, suspend or apply a 10 percent “haircut” on ineffective or lower-priority tax expenditures to save $45 million or more;
• Extend the Millionaire’s Tax and enact Combined Reporting to generate $270 million; and Redirect $1.5 million in savings from furloughs in nonbudgeted agencies to the General Fund.

You can read the full report by clicking on the pdf link below.

 

AFSCME Maryland Director Patrick Moran recently sent this message to members about new budget proposals in Annapolis.  You can also read an analysis of the proposal from the Maryland Budget and Tax Policy Institute.

"Several weeks ago, I wrote to let you know that some members in the General Assembly were threatening to gut state services and make even more cuts at the expense of state employees and the people of Maryland. They’ve made good on the threats. On February 23rd, on behalf of the House Republican Caucus, Delegates O’Donnell (District 29C – Calvert, St. Mary’s counties) and Shank (District 2B – Washington county) proposed major cuts that included: 

• cutting of 1,000 higher education jobs,
• layoffs for 500 state employees and
• an across the board cut of 1% on all state agencies which could lead to hundreds more layoffs.

Meanwhile, in the Senate, Senators Pipkin (District 36 – Kent, Queen Anne, Cecil and Caroline counties) and Brinkley (District 4 – Frederick, Carroll counties) offered their own plan, SB 1004, which would also eliminate 500 jobs and increase your pension contribution from 5% to 7%."

Continue reading Patrick's message.

AFSCME's Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the State says that during emergency closures of state facilities, employees rights to overtime and use of leave would be protected. This month, it made a difference.

We worked to ensure that we were given our rights as State Employees!

And the Department of Budget and Management listened.

Their determinations on weather related compensation are straight from
AFSCME's Collective Bargaining MOU. Collective Bargaining DOES work.

Here's a summary of determinations for the Storm of February 10-11: 

• Essential employees who worked between 6 AM February 10 --through the end of the day shift of February 11 -- who are eligible for overtime WILL RECEIVE DOUBLE TIME PAY DURING THAT PERIOD.
• Those not eligible for OT will get comp time.
• Employees on emergency release WILL NOT need to use their own leave, if they were scheduled to work. Contractual employees will also be granted pay for these days.
• Those not scheduled to work will continue to use their approved leave/time off.
• Non-essential employees who were requested and/or who volunteered and approved to work, remained at work, or tele-worked on these dates, will receive comp time for any time worked.
• Employees who work compressed work weeks will need to use accrued leave to cover time beyond the 8 hours allowed for emergency leave.

Liberal Leave Days

Employees can use furlough days to cover absences during liberal leave
days.

Your Union at Work.

If you have questions, or for more information, contact AFSCME Maryland:

Baltimore:  410-547-1515

Annapolis: 410-267-7550

Hagerstown: 301-665-2895

Salisbury: 443-944-0056

In the face of massive budget cuts, AFSCME Maryland saved jobs and stopped health care cost increases for Maryland state employees.

Today, the Governor announced major cuts to the state budget in anticipation of tomorrow’s budget submission in the state legislature. What do these cuts mean for AFSCME Maryland members?