On Monday March 7, 2016 current and retired members of the Baltimore Teachers Union made their way to Annapolis to let legislators know vouchers were bad for Baltimore City. Three current BTU members (Brendan McFadden, Morgan Showalter, and Harry Preston V) all testified to the House Ways and Means Committee about the effects a voucher bill would have on students in Baltimore City.

Along with the teachers' testimony AFT-Maryland's Legislative and Policy Director Terence Cooper highlighted the $24 million dollar reduction in state aid to Baltimore, and noted the troubling aspect of in turn

Members of CUB's Retiree Chapter recently attended AFT's annual New Retiree Leader Seminar. (Pictured are CUB Retiree Chapter President Laverne Foster and member Donald Morris, with Ruby Strickland from Orange County Florida CTA.)

The annual seminar is an opportunity for leaders of newer chapters to talk about how to engage members so that they will be more active in their chapters, and to learn how to build connections with both active members and the community. The goal is to help retirees to continue their support and work with their local union, says Lauren Luchi, manager of the AFT's

On Monday February 29, members of AFT Healthcare-Maryland went to Annapolis to fight back against threats to privatize the Western Maryland Hospital Center. For union member employed at WMHC, this would mean a loss of hard-fought rights and protections for workers.

Members argued the quality of care for residents of western Maryland was too important to be decided just by cost-cutting measures. Also of concern is that if one state hospital can be privatized, undoubtedly other state facilities and services will also be privatized at great harm to the citizens of Maryland and the state workers

Over a hundred members of the unions that make up AFT-Maryland took to Annapolis to engage their elected representatives. Lobby Night as it is called gave members and activists an opportunity to extend their voices directly to the people that they elected. Nearly all of the locals that make up AFT-Maryland were represented and union members did not hesitate to ask Delegates and State Senators tough questions. 

 

Members were there to press elected officials on state budget priorities, school vouchers, education assessments, community schools, due process for state employees at the Maryland