Every day is a cause to celebrate the work we come together to create – but without a doubt, our favorite of the year is Labor Day. On this day, we honor the generations of workers who fought before us so that we could have the rights, protections, and voice we hold today.

I have spent the last two weeks visiting classrooms, campuses, and worksites across Maryland – walking hallways, sitting with faculty during their first weeks back, and talking with members about what matters to them and what they're organizing to protect. And in every conversation, there was a sense of pride in the work they do and in showing up for Maryland's communities every day.

That readiness, that enthusiasm for our community, is what fuels our fight. It's what has powered a year of historic wins for AFT Maryland. Wins that will shape the lives of Maryland's workers for generations to come.

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After 19 months of relentless negotiations, faculty approved a contract that delivers wage increases, a clear pathway to promotion, and protections for their union in the event of a merger

BALTIMORE, MD – Baltimore City Community College (BCCC) faculty, represented by United Academics of Maryland, Local 6628 (UAMD) – an affiliate of AFT Maryland – have voted overwhelmingly to ratify their first-ever union contract, which includes competitive wage increases, an improved pathway to promotion, and major improvements to working conditions and job protections. This victory marks the seventh UAMD-represented institution to ratify a contract since the State Legislature expanded collective bargaining rights to community college faculty in 2021.

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The Maryland State Board of Elections has certified results from the June 23rd Maryland Primary, and now the ballot for the General Election is set and will be held on November 3rd.

Most of the candidates endorsed by the AFT Maryland and AFL-CIO won their Primary Election, a testament to the power of the union vote. And with hundreds of seats up for election this term – from Governor all the way down to county council members, electing pro-worker candidates up and down the ballot will have the most positive impact on the lives of our members as public employees and educators.

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The 89th national convention of the AFT was held in DC this month, from July 15-19, and AFT Maryland members were there, including delegates and guests from many of our Maryland locals. Represented for the first time at convention were our newest organized unions, the United Academics of Maryland-Community Colleges (UAMD-CC) and the University of Maryland Resident and Fellow Alliance (UMRFA). 

Over 3500 delegates and visitors attended the AFT Convention 2026, making it the largest convention in the past 15 years. AFT celebrated organizing 179 new units across the country, including the two new locals from Maryland - UAMD-CC and UMRFA. 

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This year, America celebrates 250 years of independence, a milestone made possible by those who dared to imagine a nation with ideals of liberty, justice, self-governance, and hope for a better future.

The freedoms we now enjoy were hard-fought by individuals who, 250 years ago, stood up to tyranny, to kings who would rather have kept them as subjects. These rights and freedoms should not be taken for granted and must be fought for and defended by each generation. 

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