No Contract Agreement Reached by December 31st, 2020
On January 1st, the same day, Maryland announces the second-highest positivity rate since the pandemic began; we also announced that we have failed to reach an agreement with Governor Hogan. We are unwilling to accept less when we deserve more.
Despite showing up and working hard to keep Maryland running throughout the pandemic, the Governor and his team treated negotiations like an afterthought. Starting months late, rejecting the majority of our proposals outright, and bringing a new wage proposal to the second to last session are just some examples of the disregard shown to AFSCME members during this process.
Read Frequently Asked Questions
In the end, our elected bargaining team rejected their unguaranteed contingent proposal for a 1% pay increase in 2022. In comparison, police and fire unions have a 6.3% guaranteed pay increase and a merit raise that will happen no matter the economic outlook. The Governor is sending a clear message: employees running hospitals, prisons, youth facilities, and providing unemployment to the people of Maryland matter less. Parity with police and fire is not an unreasonable demand while our members fight the virus every day.
Check out the chart below to see the difference between AFSCME members' pay under Governor Hogan and police and fire unions under Governor Hogan.
| AFSCME Council 3 | Police and Fire Unions |
Fiscal Year 2020 (July 2019-July 2020) | 3% COLA, No step | Guaranteed 5% COLA + a step increase (average increase of 2.3%) |
Fiscal Year 2021 (July 2020-July 2021) | 2% COLA, No step | Guaranteed 5% COLA + a step increase (average increase of 2.3%) |
Fiscal Year 2022 (July 2021-July 2022) | Management proposed: Revenue contingent 1% COLA | Guaranteed 4% COLA + a step increase (average increase of 2.3%) |
Our MOU is still in effect due to the Evergreen law we passed two years ago. Nothing should change in your working conditions. If you have a question or concern, don’t hesitate to reach out to your shop steward, local president, or our Member Resource Center at [email protected] or 410.547.1515. We stood strong as a union and rejected management’s unfair proposals, especially compared to the increases given to police and firefighter unions.
We are aggressively pursuing all legal options available to us and working closely with our legislative and community allies. Stay tuned for more updates!
Have a question? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions to learn more, and as always, don't hesitate to reach out to your closest bargaining team member, shop steward, or local president. FAQ's: https://www.afscmemd.org/system/files/negotiationsfaq.pdf
Not sure who to call? Contact the Member Resource Center at [email protected] or 410.547.1515.
Check out the Baltimore Sun's article:
