AFT-Maryland Legislative Reception 2019

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 known as “crossover day” in Annapolis. On this day, each chamber attempts to pass bills so that the other house can consider them and they in turn can become law. While this is state democracy at work, it meant that many legislators who were likely to attend were unable to make it.

There were a number of legislative directors and chiefs-of-staff who did attend in their bosses’ absences. Labor leaders spoke with them to get a handle on how elected officials felt about everything from COLA increases for state workers, tax breaks for municipal employees, and Kirwan funding for public schools for this year and next.

For more photos of the event, visit our Facebook page!

2019-03-18