News

The Baltimore Teachers Union  Retiree Chapter (BTU 340R) recently had newly elected executive board members sworn in to office. These officers represent the retirees’ interests in a number of different capacities. Our retirees are among the state federation’s most loyal and consistent volunteers for community outreach efforts, phone banking in support of union-endorsed candidates, and lobbying in Annapolis and in Baltimore city.

Velma Hicks was re-elected to president, while Thomas Frazier will serve as vice president. The secretary is Geneva Harris, while Blanch Morgan III is the treasurer. Oz

When the community calls, AFT-Maryland answers. This was the case when the state federation joined former Delegate Bilal Ali and a host of west Baltimore community members for a back-to-school family fun day. The event took place at Warwick Park and featured a number of fun and exciting activities for the children. The highlight was a backpack giveaway that also came with school supplies to get young people ready for the upcoming school year. Additionally, there were visits from Baltimore elected officials including Mayor Jack Young, State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby, Councilman John Bullock, and

With the school year underway, educators in Baltimore city eagerly welcomed their students back to school. For new educators, the first week was an opportunity to get themselves acquainted with the daily mechanics of the school and the students. The advice and preparation from others were now to be put into practice. After the first week, the Baltimore Teachers Union (BTU) gathered the New Teachers Steering Committee for a brunch to goal-set the committee’s objectives for the upcoming school year.  

BTU field representative Cindy Sjoquist organized the gathering at Baltimore’s Dovecote Cafe

Healthcare professionals at Clifton T. Perkins turned to their union when they wanted changes at their facility. Their union, AFT Healthcare-Maryland, hearing the demand from members, arranged a meeting with state legislative leaders so they could hear from our members just what was going on in their districts. State Senator Guy Guzzone and Delegate Terri Hill met with AFT Healthcare-Maryland members at Perkins Hospital Center. Del. Hill shares quite a bit in common with the members at the facility, as she is also a trained medical professional. Her knowledge led to a robust conversation

AFT-Maryland convened the state federation’s political committee to discuss and prepare for the upcoming 2020 elections. In compliance with all federal labor laws, no members’ dues are used for electoral politics. Instead, the Committee On Political Education (COPE) raises funds from member contributions outside of dues, dedicated explicitly to and for use in political candidate campaigns.

The locals represented at the meeting were the Baltimore County Federation of Public Employees (BCFPE), AFT Healthcare MD (AFTHCMD), and the City Union of Baltimore (CUB). Leaders from those locals discussed

The 2019 cohort of teachers that made up the Baltimore Teachers Union Teacher Leaders Program displayed their work before an audience of peers and supporters at their closing exercise. The Teacher Leader program is funded by a grant from AFT. It allows participants to identify an educational obstacle, and during the course of the eight-month program, they research solutions to the problem.

BTU Teacher Leader Facilitator Carla McCoy said, “As has been the standard for the AFT/BTU Teachers Leaders, Cohort 7 did not disappoint! Each participant used their passion for students and other

AFT-Maryland had a busy legislative session, working to get several bills passed and signed into law. Gov. Larry Hogan held a signing ceremony for three bills that affected locals in the state federation. One was a bill placing employees at the Maryland School for the Deaf into the State Personnel Management System. This was a bill that MSD and AFT-Maryland worked hard over the course of several sessions to get passed. Teachers at the Maryland School for the Deaf are fully considered state employees and are no longer contractual.

The other two bills signed were pieces of legislation of

After being snowed out in early February, leaders and selected members of AFT-Maryland locals gathered in Annapolis for their annual legislative reception. At this event, members and leaders interact with Delegates and state Senators in a light-hearted social affair. While the mood is light-hearted, business is always on the menu. Each year, union leaders discuss the bills and issues important to their membership and get caught up on the progress of legislation that will affect their union.

This year, the reception was rescheduled for a Monday in mid-March. Unfortunately it was also the day

Come join with your sisters and brothers in labor for

Union Night in Annapolis
Monday, March 25th, 2019
6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Meet on the Southeast Lawn
at the corner of Bladen & Calvert Streets
Annapolis MD 21401

Limited bus seating is available, leaving from AFT-Maryland/BTU at 5:15 p.m. (5800 Metro Drive, Baltimore, MD 21215).

RSVP to hold your seat by FRIDAY, 3/22:
Todd Reynolds, treynolds@aftmd.org, (443) 320-4719. Food and soft drinks will be provided on the bus.

Be sure to wear your union shirts, jackets, hats, etc.!

Sponsored by the Metro Baltimore Council AFL-CIO