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The Executive Board of the American Federation of Teachers held its first meeting of 2013 March19.

President Marietta English reported to the board on the federation’s activities, emphasizing the work done on bills now before the Maryland state legislature. The president reported that the AFT-Maryland legislative team had presented testimony on several bills of importance to labor and working families and cited the federation’s support for the Voting Rights Act in a demonstrations before the Supreme Court in February.

The president also noted that several pieces of national legislation—the Fair

The Baltimore City Public Schools Construction and Revitalization Act of 2013 was passed in the Maryland House of Delegates March 20, but only after having been completely rewritten by Maryland legislators.

Several pages of amendments significantly change the bill’s original proposals. Originally, the bill proposed establishing a Baltimore City Public Schools Construction Authority authorized to issue bonds to finance new school construction. The bill also called for the state to provide a block grant each year for school construction projects in Baltimore City.

The revised bill proposes the

The Maryland Senate passed Governor O’Malley’s budget with overwhelming support March 21. Only five Republicans voted against the budget, with seven Republicans joining 35 Democrats voting to support the budget.

The Maryland House of Delegates approved the governor’s proposed state budget March 15. The Democratic-controlled House voted 101-36 for the bill, largely along party lines. Both houses have approved a $36.8 billion budget for Fiscal Year 2014.

The budget bill now goes to a conference committee where legislators will resolve the differences between the House and Senate versions of the

Members of the AFT-Maryland legislative team testified in opposition to four charter school bills for which hearings were held March 13. The bills proposed making a study of ways to improve to charter schools, allowing charter schools to directly hire school personnel, establishing an independent charter school advisory council, and proposing that charter schools be allowed to certify their own principals.

Speaking on behalf of President Marietta English in hearings before the house Ways and Means Committee, AFT-Maryland representatives testified that charter schools were public schools and

Representatives of AFT-Maryland testified before the House Appropriations Committee March 5th, supporting fair share in higher educational institutions and new school construction in Baltimore.

AFT-Maryland Field Representative Todd Reynolds told committee members that fair share—the contributions of non-union members to union activities—should be expanded to include those members of institutions of higher learning who benefit from the contract negotiations, education, and trainings that unions provide. 

Presenting testimony on behalf of AFT-Maryland/Baltimore Teachers Union President Marietta

AFT-Maryland members travelled to Annapolis on Monday, February 11, 2013 to talk to their delegates about several issues of concern. Among other things, members talked about

• the Baltimore 10-Year school facilities plan,
• the Full Pension Funding Act (HB239),
• the Correctional Officers Bill of Rights (SB216/HB346),
• Phased Retirement for State Employees (HB258),
• the Governor's Budget, and
• Public Schools Emergency Managment Plans (SB143).

We had a great turnout, and it was inspiring to see so many people in blue AFT-Maryland shirts walking around the House and Senate buildings. Thank you to all the

The Baltimore Teachers Union's 3rd Annual PSRP Conference took place on Friday and Saturday (2/8-9) at the Baltimore Convention Center and it was a great success. More than 500 PSRPs engaged in a long list of dynamic workshops.

Ruby Newbold, President of the Detroit Association of Educational Office Employees and Quentin Lawson, the Executive Director of the National Alliance of Black School Educators were the guest speakers.

Mr. Lawson presented BTU with an award of recognition for the dedicated work that they do for education in Maryland. The award will be hanging in the BTU Office.

(for full article, visit BaltimoreSun.com.)

You wouldn't know it from our nation's debate over Obamacare, but the U.S. has had government-supported health care for nearly 80 years. Not only that, but our nation bolsters a retirement level well beyond the thin safety net provided by Social Security, and it even ensures Americans a path to a family-supporting wage. And, no, I have not mistaken the U.S. for a socialist European nation.

Our government assures us these broad economic benefits by guaranteeing our right to form a labor union. Those among us who join a union — or who get a job with a