The Juneteenth holiday should forever hold a special place in the hearts of labor activists. It is indeed a holiday to commemorate the end of American slavery, but we should never lose sight that American slavery had as much to do with labor rights as it did with race-based discrimination. Marking the end of the civil war with this holiday is a celebration of the end of state sanctioned race-based exploitation of vulnerable workers. The effects of the end of slavery reverberated throughout the entire United States, not merely because it marked a shift in the moral direction of the country, but because it recalibrated work relationships all across the nation, and particularly in southern states. 

Read on...

Faculty at Hagerstown Community College have declared their intention to unionize and affiliate with American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Maryland. Earlier today, faculty members and AFT Maryland officials filed unionization cards with the Maryland Public Employees Labor Relations Board. Once certified, the faculty will be a part of the United Academics of Maryland - Hagerstown, affiliated with the AFT Maryland, AFT, AAUP, and AFL-CIO. This effort continues AFT’s engagement with organizing higher education workers. The organizing has taken off since AFT and AAUP affiliated in 2022. Unionization provides faculty with an organized body to participate in the decision making process of the college. Many longtime faculty members are excited about a chance to collaborate with administrators to demonstrate their knowledge and move Hagerstown Community College forward. 

READ ON FOR MORE.

State senators and delegates in Annapolis know the name of AFT Maryland. Our legislative efforts are an important part of the role we play for members. A number of key decisions impacting members’ work experiences are decided during the 90-day legislative session, and AFT Maryland actively supports, monitors, or opposes legislation impacting members. One thing that members and local leaders do not often have the chance to do is meet with legislators directly. The AFT Maryland Legislative Reception gives members a chance to talk face-to-face with elected officials.

Read on for photos from the event, and more.

The undeniable chill in the air and the early hour that darkness falls over us leaves no question that the Winter Holiday season is upon us. The many religious and cultural holidays celebrated around this time of year symbolize our collective commitment to gather and share our love among those we hold most dear. We call upon the sacred values learned from those traditions, to show one another the best versions of ourselves. We do this through fellowship, kindness, food, gift giving, and charity. 

Click through to read more.

Labor power is rising all across the United States and workers in Maryland are capitalizing on the energy surrounding the current labor movement. AFT-Maryland already stands as a leader in fighting for local and state employees in Maryland and we have extended our support to labor siblings in different industries. Members and staff of the state federation have taken to the streets recently to support worker efforts as labor attempts to make inroads against corporate titans such as Starbucks and Amazon. 

Click through for photos and to read more!

The hard right members of the US House of Representatives are calling for a government shutdown if they do not receive the senseless funding cuts they demand, including an 80% reduction in public education Title I funding, which would highly impact low-income students. 

The cuts could lead to a nationwide reduction of 220,000 teachers, a catastrophic outcome for our nation’s students at a time when schools are already dealing with an educator shortage.