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The Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community is a vital part of the broad tapestry that is AFT-Maryland. We are grateful for our members from a community who work alongside other public employees to help make Maryland communities what they are today.  Click through for the full message from AFT-Maryland on Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month > > > MORE

The busiest travel holiday of the year is also the one centered most on family and friends. Yes, the origins of the Thanksgiving holiday are not as wholesome or simple as the narrative many of us learned in elementary school, but the beauty of customs and traditions is that a society can remake the tradition into whatever it sees fit. For so many of us, Thanksgiving is more than a story about early colonial settlers, but rather a moment to pause in gratitude and appreciation with those who we hold most dearly. 

As a state federation we have so much to be thankful for collectively...

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One of the best practices any of us can embody is one of honesty and truth-telling. However, to be honest about our history does not mean we have to feel ashamed about said history. Instead, we can accept the ideas of great leaders like Malcolm X when he says “of all our studies, history is best qualified to reward our research.” An honest accounting of United States history means we reflect on and acknowledge the Indigenous peoples who occupied the land where we now live and work. This is the meaning behind Indigenous Peoples’ Day. 

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AFT-Maryland knows all too well the pressure public employees are under. The state federation represents a broad coalition of workers employed by state and local governments so the plight of labor siblings employed by the federal government, though different, is familiar. That’s why it was important for the state federation to stand in solidarity with American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) members who work at the Social Security Administration (SSA) as they rallied to address current working conditions and address the ongoing public service crisis. The crisis centers around low staffing levels resulting in an inordinate amount of work for remaining SSA employees. Moreover, the union is back at the bargaining table and is looking to provide fair working conditions for existing employees while creating a healthy working climate for new hires. 

AFT-Maryland Community Engagement Director Jeffery Johnson is a consistent advocate for solidarity among workers and often represents AFT-Maryland at events such as these. He said the show of solidarity was about more than just standing beside federal government employees. CLICK TO READ > > >

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The Paraprofessional and School Related Personnel (PSRP) division of the AFT is filled with labor activists and leaders who give their all for students and families while helping shape the school community. Across the country, PSRPs do a number of jobs including but not limited to cafeteria workers, janitors, facility managers, office staff, and paraeducators. A collection of those activists came from across the nation to Baltimore, Maryland for the 2023 AFT PSRP Conference.  CLICK THROUGH TO READ > > > MORE

United States service members accept a call to something greater than the individual. They recognize and respect the commitment necessary to unify and achieve a goal that enriches not only themselves but the entire collection of people they represent. As public employees we perform uniquely different work, but we also know about taking on a professional responsibility of service to the greater community. We understand the ideas and importance of shared responsibility, sacrifice, and commitment. We know how interdependent our state and local government institutions are, and only with our professionalism and class do we continue to make Maryland work. 

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For the first time in four years, Baltimore welcomed back Artscape, but Mother Nature had other plans for the weekend. What was planned as a weekend full of art and culture that welcomed many from across the Baltimore area, became a one-day cultural event with a largely washed-out weekend due to heavy rains and threatening winds from Tropical Storm Ophelia. Despite not being able to enjoy the entire weekend of celebrating the arts, AFT-Maryland was present on day one of the cultural festival and distributed hundreds of books as a part of our ongoing partnership with Reading Opens the World. 

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The summer of 2023 is just getting started, so that means the 2024 Presidential election season is already underway. President Joe Biden kicked off his re-election efforts with a labor rally in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on Saturday June 17, 2023. The AFL-CIO sponsored the event which brought together activists from a wide range of industries united under the banner of labor to support President Biden’s quest for four more years. The President has overwhelming support from labor due in large part to his long record of support from and for labor unions. In 2020 he declared he would be the most pro-union president in United States history.  

Although the event was in neighboring Pennsylvania, AFT-Maryland activists made the trip and were excited to support President Biden’s re-election efforts. 

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Happy Hispanic Heritage Month! This diverse celebration brings in a large cross-section of people to celebrate the unique cultures that we call Hispanic Heritage. Over the next thirty days, we acknowledge and celebrate Americans who have lineage across South America, Mexico, Central America, and even Spain. 

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