After a winter that demanded resilience and collective effort, we welcome spring! Throughout the colder months and now into this new season, our members have been organizing for change for education, healthcare, public service and all workers here in Maryland.

This winter, we faced large amounts of adversity, with the wave of attacks on public education, civil servants, and vital healthcare by the new administration that is leaving many feeling uncertain and wary. Despite this, our union continues to grow stronger...

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The FY2026 budget dominated the 2025 Maryland General Assembly session, as lawmakers worked to close a projected $3 billion deficit. The final budget package - HB 350 (Budget Bill) and HB 352 (Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act, or BRFA) - includes both spending cuts and new revenues to balance the budget while maintaining investments in education and public employees.

AFT Maryland and its affiliate unions tracked over 35 bills, testified on more than a dozen, and submitted written testimony in over 45 hearings. We thank all our locals for submitting testimony and coordinating with the state federation to get witnesses to Annapolis.

While not every bill we supported passed, we achieved significant victories: passing key legislation, preserving critical budget funding, and defeating proposals that would have harmed our affiliates and members.

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When the Maryland General Assembly’s session opened in January, the fear about a historic budget deficit was at the top of everyone’s mind. Not only was the state facing a deficit following a decade of stagnant economic growth, but radical changes from the Trump Administration that could disrupt the state’s economy helped to block out other legislative issues. 

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Whether at the federal, state, or local level, far-right politicians in Maryland have demonstrated their absolute disdain for employees in the public sector. The newly-formed Maryland House Republican Freedom Caucus, in response to the Elon Musk administration’s move to bulldoze federal agencies and fire thousands of Marylanders, callously responded that changing careers is “just a part of life.”

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Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and Democratic lawmakers have agreed on a plan to close the state's $3 billion budget deficit through a mix of cuts and new taxes. The deal, announced Thursday, March 20th, includes $2.3 billion in spending reductions and fund transfers, along with revenue increases from tax reforms and new fees.

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Maryland’s state budget grows more grim with a new projection of $280 million added to the shortfall in expected revenue for 2025 and 2026. The state’s deficit for 2026 could balloon to $3.2 billion, with some officials warning it may reach $6 billion by 2030. The driving force behind this crisis - federal job and grant cuts.

As the Maryland General Assembly and Governor Wes Moore negotiate to balance the fiscal 2026 budget, the stakes are high. The impact of these financial constraints is exacerbated by proposals from the Trump Administration and congressional Republicans to overhaul entitlement programs such as Medicaid, SNAP, and potentially Social Security. Adding to the uncertainty ...

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