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AFSCME Maryland in the News | Week of September 21st-27th, 2020

Read articles featuring AFSCME Maryland members fighting for a better Maryland across the state over the past week.

AFSCME Council 3 President Patrick Moran’s Comments on the Comptrollers FY20 Closeout

We are encouraged by the Comptrollers FY20 closeout report showing almost $600 million in fund balance. We have said from the beginning that the Governor needed to be prudent and not just wildly cut state services and those who deliver them. This report validates our position. Going forward, the number of positive cases in Maryland continues to rise. Public employees continue to be on the frontline of containing the spread of the virus and mitigating the social and economic effects on our neighbors. We urge caution and measured actions to ensure our state can economically recover. We call on the USM and the Governor to put frontline workers first so that public services continue to function and deliver for the people of Maryland.

AFSCME Council 3 applauds Comptroller Franchot and Treasurer Kopp for Standing with Working Families AFSCME’s Campaign to Reject "draconian” Cuts to Public Services Leads to Victory

Baltimore- AFSCME Maryland members in state and higher education are pleased to see draconian cuts to state services and frontline employees removed from the July 1st BPW agenda. The leadership of State Treasurer Kopp and Comptroller Franchot and thoughtfulness about the needs of Marylanders will not be forgotten. Congratulations to the dogged Council 3 members who lobbied, emailed, called, wrote letters and did direct action to get the point across that state services during a pandemic must be protected.

AFSCME: Cuts to State Services Harm Marylanders During Time of Crisis Hogan Administration Proposals Slash Resources as Need Increases

Baltimore, MD – AFSCME Council 3, the state’s largest public employee union representing almost 30,000 state employees, decried the proposed budget cuts put forward by the Hogan Administration today. The Administration is looking for reductions totaling $1.45 billion.

AFSCME Council 3 and Community Allies Caravan in Annapolis to Support Frontline State Workers and Call for Racial Justice

Annapolis, Maryland- Next Tuesday, June 16th, AFSCME Council 3 members joined by labor and community allies will caravan to call on Governor Hogan and the Board of Public Works to support frontline state workers. Our union is calling on Governor Hogan and the Board of Public Works to fund the frontlines and ensure frontline workers have adequate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and technology to do their job, hazard pay, a plan to respond to positive cases in the workplace as well as regular universal testing. After six years of significant underfunding and understaffing from the Hogan Administration, our state services are in crisis.

AFSMCE Members' Action Produces Governor's Reaction: Limited Universal Testing to Begin in State Facilities

We are proud that AFSCME members’ action has produced the Governor’s reaction, and we are happy that our campaign for health and safety at public facilities is winning results. However we couldn’t help but notice today’s announcement oddly omits any testing in the Maryland Department of Health and its hospitals.

AFSCME Council 3 Members and Community Allies Call on the Board of Public Works to Fund the Frontlines

Baltimore, Maryland- Today, members of AFSCME Council 3 and community allies caravan-ed to worksites continuing to serve the public despite the pandemic. AFSCME Council 3 members are calling on the Board of Public Works to Fund the Frontlines and provide proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), testing plans for what happens when Maryland re-opens, Hero Pay, and adequate staff to do our jobs! Approximately 50 cars traveled together to five worksites staffed by Maryland’s public employees throughout the City of Baltimore.

AFSCME Acquires Limited PPE and Community Groups Stand with Frontline State Employees; Demand Health, Safety and Economic Fairness During Pandemic

BALTIMORE, MD- Today we are announcing the bringing together of a group of diverse community, faith and advocacy groups, including but not limited to the ACLU, Baltimore-Washington Conference of the United Methodist Church, Jews United for Justice, BRIDGE Maryland, Public Justice Center, and Maryland Sierra Club, who are calling on the Hogan Administration to do more to protect the public. They call for the following steps to be taken as soon as possible.