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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AFT Maryland delegates and leaders took to Houston, Texas to join with thousands of other AFT members for the national union’s biennial convention. AFT Maryland was prominently featured in signage as well as on the convention floor. The state federation turned heads throughout the nation with our organizing of public employees from the Maryland School for the Deaf, various community college faculty, and residents and fellows at the University of Maryland Medical Center.

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Join us in Catonsville on Saturday Oct 18, 2025 for a No Kings Rally

Everyone deserves dignity, a life they can afford, and real opportunity. That’s what we’re standing up for on October 18 — together.

In America, power belongs to all of us — not the wealthy few.

We are educators, healthcare workers, and public service professionals. We show up every day for our kids, our families, and our communities. And we won’t back down in the face of chaos, corruption, or cruelty.

No crowns. No thrones. No kings.

EVENT DETAILS and more below -->

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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The workplace death of Baltimore city Department of Public Works employee Ronald Silver II struck a solemn nerve for the City Union of Baltimore (CUB), recalling the tragic loss of CUB member Trina Cunningham in a workplace death five years ago. In the wake of Mr. Silver’s passing, AFT Maryland, CUB, AFSCME, and elected officials from the Baltimore City Council held a press conference addressing the issue and outlining what needs to be done to assure there are no city workplace deaths.

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The AFT Maryland has announced their list of endorsed candidates for Baltimore City office, encouraging members to support in the 2024 Primary Election. The endorsements include the union-preferred candidates for mayor, city council president, and most of the 14 city council seats that will be considered for the May 14th Primary.

Read on for a quote from AFT Maryland President Kenya Campbell, and the list of endorsed candidates.