After three years of organizing, testifying and lobbying AFSCME Council 3 members at University System of Maryland (USM) Schools will finally have the opportunity to have one master agreement covering them all. Senate Bill 9 was lightly amended in the House and passed both chambers of the General Assembly this session, awaiting to become law.
Union members within the USM have long complained about their “broken” bargaining scheme where each campus administration would bargain independently, weakening worker power, but at the same refusing to bargain about critical issues such as pay, probation, layoff procedure, or contracting out as they were governed by the System.
Now all members in the USM can bargain one contract, like our brothers and sisters in the State, with one set of rules of the road, bargaining with the Chancellor and Board of Regents, the people really in charge. This new way to bargain will ensure fairness and equity throughout the system.
It also still allows campuses with unique issues, such as the Agricultural work at UMCP and UMES, to bargain those issues locally. If you are interested in getting active in the Higher Education campaign for fairness email [email protected]rg.
