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Welcome, Spring!

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The turn of the pages on the calendar to April brings excitement at the anticipation of spring. The season is one that holds a great deal of potential and promise. Many of us will resume some of our favorite outdoor activities; others will try new outdoor ideas for the first time. We know the adage that “April showers, bring May flowers,” and we are eager for the longer, warmer days, even if we have to put up with some rainy ones here and there. This year, the month of April also brings... Click to Read MORE

BTU Members Testify to get Bargaining for Class Size

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Class sizes make a huge difference in an educator’s ability to reach and connect with their students. Unfortunately for Maryland educators however, class sizes are non-negotiable and cannot be collectively bargained. House Bill 890 (HB890) seeks to change that. While a number of education professionals and advocates from across the state offered testimony detailing how necessary this legislation is for classroom instructors, the most visually compelling testimony came from AFT-Maryland members in the Baltimore Teachers Union (Local 340). 

BTU member Nathan Ferrell testifies via Zoom on the
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BCFPE Leadership Testify on Behalf of 911 Workers

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March has been a busy month for AFT affiliates in Annapolis. With the 90-day legislative session going strong, many of our unions have appeared virtually or headed to Annapolis to testify on bills that could meaningfully change working conditions and benefits for our public employees. Baltimore County Federation of Public Employees (BCFPE Local 4883) President John Ripley and Area Vice President Kasia Gatchalian testified on two bills that would affect 911 operators in Baltimore county. 


BCFPE President John Ripley, Sen. Cheryl Kagan (D-17), and BCFPE Area VP Kasia Gatchalian 

The first is

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Happy Lunar New Year

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The Lunar New Year is a time when many of our members and millions of people across the world gather with their families to celebrate the coming year. They do this while hoping the coming year brings greater safety, happiness, and prosperity. This year is the Year of the Tiger, specifically the Water Tiger. Those born in the Year of the Tiger are believed to be charming, competitive, and brave. Those are qualities we hope each of us can embody at some point this year. Tiger years are auspicious years with the strength and force of the tiger. May we all embody that strength in the coming year. As with other holidays, the ongoing pandemic may make celebrating with family difficult, but... CLICK TO READ MORE

BCFPHN holds Student Debt Clinic

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Student debt affects millions of Americans and many are looking for ways to alleviate the heavy burden that student loan debt has become. AFT offers a range of ways to help members who are trying to work around their student debt. Baltimore County Federation of Public Health Nurses (BCFPHN) Local 5102 tapped into those resources when they invited Greg Goff from AFT Higher Education to deliver a virtual presentation to members. Click to read MORE

BTU holds press conference regarding COVID-19 safety in schools

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The Omicron variant of Covid-19 has made returning to work a challenge for public employees. Perhaps no place is more challenged than our schools. The Baltimore Teachers Union held a press conference to call for enhanced PPE, greater testing among students, and increased opportunities to vaccinate students.The union believes these strategies will reduce the spread of Covid-19 and will help to keep members and the students they work with safe. The press conference featured a number of political leaders, community organizations, and parent groups who are all allies to the union and remain committed to ensuring that if students are in school, it is done as safely as possible.  Click to read MORE