| AFSCME Maryland |
Press Inquiries
For all press inquiries regarding AFSCME Maryland, please contact Maureen O'Connor at 410-534-7217 or 410-913-4061. --Hundreds Demanded Lawmakers Save State Services -- O'Malley Focuses on Jobs in State of the State Address- NBC 4 Washington WBAL-TV: Open Government Measure Has Lawmaker Backing "The bill allows free public access to legislative tracking -- that option now costs $800, Collins said. It also calls for webcasting of committee hearings, including the board of public works. Bill supporters also want to post committee votes online, and they want the public to be able to sign up to testify online as well... AFSCME, the state's largest union, discovered the immense power of the board of public works, to approve contracts and cut the state budget with little or no notice, Collins said. As the result of the board of public works and its secrecy, we've seen a number of state employees, and higher education, bear the brunt of their actions without any warning at all," said AFSCME's director, Patrick Moran. Public access has always been an issue at the state house. In the 1960s, news cameras were banned in the House chamber. In the 1970s, the house speaker decided which news organizations -- and how many -- could be in the chamber."
News Release State Employees Step Up for Services--Deliver Revenue Message to Governor Lawmakers to Debate Salary Increases - WJZ (click headline to watch video) "Maryland is $1.5 billion over budget and state workers are being furloughed, but a commission is recommending raises for the governor and state lawmakers." (click headline to watch video)
ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- State lawmakers are currently up for a raise, even though Maryland is facing one of the worst economic crises in the state's history. The Maryland General Assembly is in an awkward position this election year. In the midst of a recession that has included layoffs, furloughs and record high unemployment, all 188 members will have the opportunity to give themselves a pay raise.
...'It's preposterous that they are talking about wage increases for elected officials when state employees working year-round and working in the trenches are seeing cuts,' said Maryland ASFCME Director Patrick Moran." FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 16, 2009 Report: Lawmakers to cut state budgets even deeper "As bad as state budget-cutting was during the past year, a report issued Thursday showed it's bound to be even worse in the coming months. Despite signs of improvement in the national economy, many states' finances are still dismal. "Illinois already has a backlog of $2.9 billion in unpaid bills. And in Maryland, the state plans to close a mental health center that serves five rural counties. "We are fighting for our lives,' said Tonya Rider, assistant to the director of the Upper Shore Community Mental Health Center in Chestertown. 'We are fighting for the patients' lives. You get frustrated and tired and you just think, 'I can't fight anymore,' but you have to.'"
WJZ-TV VideoUnion Asks O'Malley To Tap Rainy Day Fund (click to watch)
O'Malley: Education, rainy day fund off limits "Union members used the cold rains that forced their news conference indoors Thursday as a metaphor for the fiscal storm that is battering Maryland's budget. "'It is time to dip into the rainy day fund because it is raining out there, and we need some shelter from the storm,' said Patrick Moran, state director of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, which represents about 30,000 state workers." 
AFSCME Calls For State Tax Hikes, Not Job Cuts
"The state's largest union wants Gov. Martin O'Malley to dip into the state's Rainy Day Fund and it's calling for a number of tax hikes to offset the budget problems. "Patrick Moran, executive director of the Maryland chapter of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, held a rally Thursday with dozens of union members. The union is calling on the governor and General Assembly to stop trying to cut their way out of budget problems. Moran and other employees said state employees and the residents they serve 'need shelter from the storm.'" 
MD Unions, Advocates: More Cuts Alone Can't Fix State Budget "Maryland's largest public employee union and advocates for the disabled, mentally ill and residents struggling with substance abuse rallied in Annapolis today, demanding Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) and state lawmakers consider tax increases and dipping into the state's untouched rainy-day reserve fund rather than further cut state health programs or state employees' pay to balance the budget. "'It is time to dip into the rainy-day fund because it's raining out there and we need shelter from the storm,' said Patrick Moran, Maryland director for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME). 'Mr. Governor, please, please consider your rainy day funds,' added Mary Townes, an employee at the Baltimore City Department of Social Services, who said workers there are staying late into the night, and struggling each day to find enough resources to identify and protect the city's most vulnerable children. 'It's unfair to say we care about the children and then not invest in enough people to protect them,' Townes said." Union asks O'Malley to tap into rainy day fund - Baltimore Sun "A union representing more than 30,000 Maryland state employees asked Gov. Martin O'Malley on Thursday to tap into the state's $750 million rainy day fund to help avoid deeper cuts to state services. Patrick Moran, executive director of the Maryland chapter of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, held a news conference Thursday with dozens of union members, who held up signs that read: 'It's Raining.'" AFSCME MD calls on elected leaders to make the tough budget decisions State employees met in Annapolis today to call on legislators and the governor to consider all options, including closing tax loopholes, before moving forward with any further state budget cuts. At today’s event, AFSCME MD outlined a reasonable and varied approach to the state budget shortfall--and called on Governor O'Malley to show that Marylanders-in-need are a top priority of the State by adopting such a solution. State mental health facilities, juvenile services, correctional facilities, foster care, and other agencies continue to face significant cutbacks, putting some Marylanders at risk. State employees work everyday in chronically understaffed agencies, pushing resources to the breaking point—eliminating and greatly reducing services needed for struggling Marylanders. According to AFSCME MD Director Patrick Moran, who spoke at the news conference, "We are calling on elected officials to make the tough decisions needed to keep our state running. We are offering real solutions that will generate hundreds of millions of dollars in new revenues."
State Workers Speak Out Against Employee Cuts (click link to watch video)
200 Maryland state workers getting pink slips today "The director of the largest state worker union, which has been negotiating with the governor's office on changes affecting 70,000 state employees, said he was 'surprised that (layoffs) had occurred.' "'We are disappointed,' said Patrick Moran of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees. 'This takes away from our priorities in Maryland. It affects people in all sorts of departments, and it also affects the people who rely on the services that these employees provide.'"
State Budget Cut by $450 Million
"Meanwhile state employees say doing more with less is a fine thing to say especially if you're not the one who has to buy food and pay bills.....with less. 'The price of everything is increasing and I don't have any luxuries I don't have cable because I can't afford it..you're on barebones already....I'm on barebones already.' Corrections Officer Sheila Hill says."
State workers worry about the future (click link to watch video)
Md. Approves $454 Million Cut to Fill Latest Gap
"To close its latest budget shortfall, Maryland will shut down a state-run psychiatric hospital, nearly eliminate money for county road projects, slash funding for cancer research, reduce reimbursements for health-care workers and facilities caring for Medicaid patients, and close a minimum-security prison. "On Wednesday, the panel of three Democrats charged with making midyear budget cuts unanimously approved Gov. Martin O'Malley's plan to carve away $454 million to close the spending gap that emerged last month. As in the rest of the Washington region, lower-than-expected tax collections and rising unemployment have battered state revenue projections."
Fox 45 report on Budget Cuts and Furloughs (click to watch video)
"Maryland's Board of Public Works has approved $454 million in budget cuts, and state leaders have warned state workers about the grim financial reality. Local aid, health and higher education have taken big hits in the latest round. The budget cuts mean layoffs of more than 200 state workers. Maryland's prison boot camp that houses 300 inmates at Jessup will be forced to close, along with an in-patient mental health facility on the Eastern shore. This marked the sixth time the board has slashed the budget since O'Malley took office in 2007." 
AFSCME members Marvin Benson and Daryl Brown were interviewed about the recent budget cuts on WUSA-9 TV of Washington, DC. (Baltimore-MD) AFSCME Maryland Director Patrick Moran issued the following statement today: "AFSCME Maryland is disappointed by the Governor's decision to balance the budget on the backs of state workers and residents. Every day, state employees are on the front lines serving the people of Maryland. Today's cuts mean a loss for state employees, and for those who rely on the services they provide. Even in these tough times, it is essential that we remember our priorities in Maryland, and that the people of this state come first. It's particularly disappointing because the Governor had other options to balance the budget, including closing corporate tax loopholes and finding other revenue streams. AFSCME Maryland worked diligently on behalf of state workers to avoid the more than 2500 across-the-board layoffs that were initially a possibility. While we were opposed to furloughs throughout this process, layoffs for state employees were unthinkable. Furlough days were set up on a progressive scale thanks to our efforts. Low paid employees were particularly protected. AFSCME Maryland was also able to protect employee health benefits and pensions. In the end, we were even able to ensure financial incentives for state employees using generic prescription medications. AFSCME Maryland continues to fight for state employees and the people of Maryland. In these tough economic times, our members and the services they provide are needed more than ever." Lawmakers To Hold Hearing on Md. Budget Problems (Click link to watch video) State Workers Warn Of Budget Cuts' Outcome "State employees tried to put a human face on Maryland budget cuts on Tuesday. "Several dozen members of two AFSCME union locals greeted legislators as they gathered for a joint hearing on the budget deficit. They warned that any more budget balancing on their backs could mean cuts in services. "In two weeks, the governor will announce where he plans to slash another $750 million out of the budget. "'AFSCME Maryland is standing clear and loud. No more cuts on state employees. The fat has been cut, the muscle has been cut -- we're down to the bone,' said Sue Esty, the assistant director of AFSCME Maryland. "State workers have already endured furloughs, and alternative work schedules are currently on the table, but there's concern that option may be trumped by more furloughs or layoffs. "'Any further cuts would cut services. We are important because we print checks -- we print the refund checks and we print the payroll checks -- so if those services gets cut, the process slows down,' said Joe Brown, who works for the state comptroller's office." Lower-paid Md. workers could take shorter furloughs "Details of $470 million in budget cuts that Gov. Martin O'Malley plans to announce later this month emerged Tuesday during a hearing of legislative budget committees in Annapolis. Budget Secretary T. Eloise Foster said the administration is preparing a list of cuts that will target employee compensation and local aid to present to the Board of Public Works on Aug. 26. "Negotiations with labor representatives are continuing, and administration officials declined to provide many specifics. But Matthew Gallagher, O'Malley's deputy chief of staff, said the furlough plan would be similar to one implemented last year that tied an employee's income level to the number of unpaid days and that shielded those in emergency services. "Sue Esty, assistant director for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees in Maryland, characterized the negotiations as 'tough.' She said some changes being considered to health insurance plans, such as the use of more generic prescription drugs, could benefit workers and save the state money." O'Malley plans $470M more in cuts "Matthew D. Gallagher, O’Malley’s deputy chief of staff, said that information is the subject of discussions with state worker unions, and would not give a range of unpaid days off when Brinkley asked for one. "'I would characterize those discussions as ongoing,' Gallagher said. 'They're not the easiest conversations in the world. There's a candid exchange of ideas. I would not be able to specify a target at this point.' "He said discussions of furloughs have taken into consideration factors such as maintaining staffing levels at 24-hour facilities, reducing the effect on low-income workers and making the furloughs progressive for higher-paid workers. "Sue Esty, assistant Maryland director for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, said after the meeting that she could not provide any details about the negotiations, but said the union had been in discussions with the O’Malley administration." Ron Lohr, President of AFSCME Local 898, sent the following letter to the Cumberland Times-News I am shocked at the blatant misinformation proffered by Ms. Marilyn J. Miller in a letter you published (“No more pay cuts, benefit cuts, layoffs or service fees,” Aug. 3 Times-News) Right now, AFSCME Maryland is at the table with the administration, standing up for public employees rights. AFSCME MD is at the forefront of fighting back budget cuts affecting state and higher education employees. AFSCME MD is standing up and fighting for jobs, and the people of Maryland. Board Approves $280M In Budget Cuts, Adjustments(Click link to see video "The Board of Public Works approved about $280 million in spending reductions and fund transfers Wednesday, forcing health and higher education officials to survey a still-smoking battlefield of budget cuts to grasp how they will affect services. "There are more cuts to come as Gov. Martin O'Malley's administration aims for a total of about $750 million in savings by Labor Day to adjust for what he described Wednesday as a 'very deep recession.'" Maryland budget faces $700M in additional cuts "The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees held a news conference at its Baltimore office Thursday, warning of severe consequences if the state cuts its staffing levels. At the event, union members held signs that said 'No Pay Cuts,' and "No Layoffs." AFSCME Maryland Director Patrick Moran said he has not heard any budget specifics, but the organization wanted to make its point ahead of any cuts. 'I don't understand how they’re going to cut without drastic reductions to services and to staffing levels,' he said. “It’s a skeleton at this point.'" Click here to watch WJZ-TV's report on AFSCME's efforts to fight state budget cuts. O'Malley: Budget Cuts To Be Painful, Unpopular "Workers described longer waits for social services and fewer employees to keep an eye on troubled youths as some of the problems that could be further aggravated by more budget cuts. 'We're at the bone,' said Patrick Moran, executive director of the Maryland chapter of AFSCME. 'There's no more meat. There's no more fat left, so I don't understand where they are going to cut without drastically reducing the services and staffing levels.'" Union Asks O'Malley to Avoid More Layoffs, Pay Cuts "Maryland state employees called on Gov. Martin O'Malley on Thursday to do all he can to steer a $700 million budget shortfall away from already battered state agencies, but the governor braced for tough decisions -- once again. Union workers described how past budget cuts already are affecting state services. They held "No Layoffs!" and "No Pay Cuts!" signs at a news conference at the office of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees in Baltimore. O'Malley, staffers discuss budget cuts "AFSCME represents more than 30,000 state workers, and about a dozen stood by Moran holding signs that read "No pay cuts" or "No layoffs" before television cameras. They complained that some agencies are understaffed and that state employees are overworked. They called on O'Malley to heed their priorities when making budget cuts." State employees met in Baltimore today to call on the O'Malley administration to protect state services, and those who depend on them, in advance of the July 22 Board of Public Works meeting where budget cuts are expected to be announced. As the administration considers potentially dangerous and severe budget cuts to address the state’s $700 million shortfall--Governor O'Malley must ensure that Marylanders in need --especially in these tough times -- are a top priority of the State. Correctional facilities, foster care, public health facilities, juvenile services, and other agencies may face significant cutbacks, possibly putting Maryland’s public health, safety, and at-risk children in jeopardy. Everyday state employees work in chronically understaffed agencies where staffing issues continue to translate into eliminated and reduced services for struggling Marylanders. Patrick Moran, Director of AFSCME Maryland, wrote an op-ed on the closing of Rosewood for publication in the Baltimore Sun: "State employees at Rosewood have been the main support system for these individuals. Although there may not have been enough resources, Rosewood had available around-the-clock medical care, amenities such as a swimming pool for residents, helpful group activities and, most importantly, a staff that really cared for the residents. Because of this support, many residents have been able to move into community settings over the years. "
AFSCME MD IN THE NEWS...
AFSCME MD Director Patrick Moran was featured in this recent Baltimore Sun article on new Federal legislation aimed at increasing safety by jamming cell phone signals in prisons: Click here State Employees Rally to Protect Public Services Hundreds of Public Employees including Corrections Officers and Public Health Workers Demand Lawmakers Protect Public Services against Budget Cuts (Annapolis-MD)- Public employees gathered in Annapolis Monday evening March 23, to call on legislators to “Protect Public Services” in the wake of potentially severe budget cuts. Correctional facilities, foster care, public health facilities, juvenile services, and other agencies face significant cutbacks, putting Maryland’s public health and safety, and at-risk children in jeopardy. According to AFSCME MD Director, Patrick Moran who spoke at the rally, "State employees make neighborhoods safe, ensure our roads and airports are secure and operating, and provide countless direct social services and essential hands-on health services. Yet they continually work in chronically understaffed agencies and struggle with high caseloads that have translated into reduced services to our communities." “Vital public services have borne the brunt of budget tightening for too long,” said AFSCME MD director Patrick Moran. “We’re still $700 million away from fixing the budget, and unless we do, we face an incredibly steep climb in trying to ease the staffing crisis while continuing to provide the high quality services upon which all Marylanders depend.” |
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