The AFT Maryland 2024 Triennial Convention has concluded. It was a day of deep labor engagement among delegates representing the more than 15,000 members who make up the AFT Maryland. Attendees heard from our state federation president Kenya Campbell, as well as remarks from the keynote speaker, Metro Baltimore AFL-CIO President Courtney Jenkins. The day-long convention was held in AFT Maryland’s new facilities in Windsor Mill, Maryland.

Click through for photos and more.
 

The thaw of spring is promising to all of us who found ourselves hibernating during the shorter winter days. Plenty of work was done during the winter months, but the extra daylight and warmer temperatures invigorates us all with an added boost of energy. It is natural at this time of year to feel renewed. In just over a week, the legislative session in Annapolis will wrap up, and our members working in Baltimore city schools (as well as students and education professionals across the region) are currently on Spring Break...

Read on for more!

The state federation continues to grow with the recent addition of more classifications of state employees, education professionals at the Maryland School for the Deaf, and higher education professionals from community colleges across the state. The additional members give events such as our annual Lobby Night more people, demonstrating more power and better positioning public employees to have their voices heard. AFT Maryland took two full buses to Annapolis to meet with legislators to advocate for the state federation’s legislative priorities. More members drove themselves and met us there to display the full power of our collective unions. 

Read on for photos and more about the event!

After over a year of bargaining, faculty have secured a tentative agreement addressing the critical issues that drove organizing over a year and a half ago.

Getting a handle on artificial intelligence (AI) before it gets out of control was a major topic at this year's National Conference of State Legislators (NCSL) Summit in Boston. The conference, its largest ever with over 9,000 state legislators, made it clear that without guardrails, AI could become a serious problem. The conversation was driven by the lessons learned from the rise of social media, where a lack of early regulation led to unforeseen issues.

AI presents both an opportunity and a threat. While it has the potential to improve our lives, it also poses a risk to jobs in education and healthcare. Governments and businesses could see AI as a quick and easy way to cut payroll, healthcare costs and lower taxes.

Independence Day marked a turning point in American history. The start of a new chapter in the formation of a nation built on shared ideals and the pursuit of a better future. It’s a day to honor the courage of those who dared to imagine a future shaped by the will of the people. 

Read More...