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State’s largest union for city, county, and state employees endorses Brandon Scott for Mayor, Zeke Cohen for City Council President, and Bill Henry for City Comptrolle

Annapolis — Today, AFSCME Maryland Council 3 members and leaders attended a signing ceremony with Governor Wes Moore to finalize a new three-year contract for state workers represe

On Thursday, April 20, AFSCME Maryland Council 3, a union that represents thousands of Maryland state employees, held a virtual press conference to share the results of a report analyzing the dangerously low staffing levels at state correctional facilities across Maryland.
This year’s priorities are focused on three major areas: leveling the playing field between workers and management, improving working conditions, and building a better Maryland for workers and their families.
Today, AFSCME Maryland Council 3 reached an agreement with the State on wage increases for the coming year at the statutory deadline. Per the agreement, all state workers covered by an AFSCME contract who are eligible for a step increase will receive one in the upcoming fiscal year starting July 1, 2023. Depending on the position and agency, some state workers will receive additional pay increases and bonuses.
Today, workers at the Maryland Office of the Public Defender (OPD) won their union election and have voted to certify AFSCME Maryland Council 3 as their exclusive bargaining representative. One bargaining unit will consist of core (administrative and support) staff, and another bargaining unit will consist of intake staff, investigators, social workers and attorneys. These two bargaining units span the entire state in 12 different districts and over 600 workers at the OPD.
Today, members of AFSCME Council 3, joined by allies across Maryland, are demanding better treatment and a fair contract from the University System of Maryland (USM).
Hagerstown, Maryland- AFSCME Council 3 members are coming together to oppose Governor Hogan’s proposed 2041 Master Facilities Plan which calls for the closure of Western Maryland Hospital Center and other facilities. In the Maryland Department of Health’s “2041 Facilities Master Plan,” released in September of 2021, they state one of their goals is “Identifying strategic partners to transfer services from Western Maryland Hospital Center in Hagerstown and Deer’s Head Hospital Center in Salisbury to healthcare and community providers”.
Unions and Community Partners, joined by Tom Perez, Urge Governor Hogan to Allow Workers Bills to Become Law Despite History of Vetoes Annapolis- The Governor has until April 8th to sign several presented bills into law, allow them to become law without his signature, or veto them. In his two terms Governor Hogan has vetoed numerous bills that would improve or impact Maryland workers and signed few into law. This year, working people and their unions are coming together to urge the Governor NOT to veto important legislation and obstruct further progress for working people.
ANNAPOLIS- Ahead of today’s annual budget hearing for the Department of Human Services, AFSCME members are speaking out about rampant understaffing and under-resourcing in the agency. DHS workers oversee adult and child welfare, provide benefits and assistance to families struggling economically, and many more services. DHS is our social safety net, and our members put the “human” in human services. As of January 2022, DHS has 882 vacant positions for a vacancy rate of 14.7% - the highest vacancy rate of any public safety, health, and human services state agency.