AFT Healthcare-Maryland (Local #5197) and the Maryland Professional Employees Council (MPEC, Local #6197 held their first joint negotiation session with Secretary of State John McDonough and his team last month and presented the unions’ proposals for a new three-year bargaining agreement. The unions’ proposals were based on responses from members to a collective bargaining survey on AFT's Leadernet web site.

A second negotiation session has been scheduled for September 24th. At that time, management will respond to the unions’ proposals. Since the first negotiations session, the two unions have

AFT-Maryland/BTU President Marietta English addressed attendees at the educational town hall meeting, “Diversifying the Nation’s Teacher Workforce,” held on the campus of Howard University in Washington, D.C., last week. Speaking during a panel discussion, President English told conference attendees that money alone would not attract new teachers.

"We have to go beyond salaries, benefits and working conditions," President English said. She stated that opportunities for professional development and collaboration with other teachers also needed to be a part of contract negotiations.  The

Every year on April 28, the unions of the AFL-CIO observe Workers Memorial Day to remember those who have suffered and died on the job and to renew union efforts for safe workplaces.

The struggle continues in this country to create good jobs that are safe and healthy and to ensure the freedom of workers to form unions and, through those unions, to speak out and bargain for respect and a better future.

Download a fact sheet about Workers Memorial Day here.

Materials that support Workers Memorial Day, including fact sheets, fliers, and stickers, can be obtained from the AFL-CIO website, Workers

Working America, AFL-CIO's community affiliate, is launching a new site, www.FixMyJob.com, where workers will have a resource for getting  more information and where they can raise concerns about workplace issues—privately.

For the site to be successful, more information needs to be collected about people who work. Workers are encouraged to take a few minutes to answer some quick questions about their current or last job and to fill out the quick survey to share your story of work and to make sure FixMyJob.com becomes a powerful tool to support workers.

Visit go.aflcio.org/fix-my-job.