News

This National First Responders Day, we say thank you to our 911 dispatchers, Correctional Officers, and public safety workers in Baltimore City and Baltimore County. Your courage, steadiness, and sacrifice keep our communities safe. 

You answer the call every day, and we’re proud to stand with you. 

READ ON for our message of gratitude and a brief history of the day...

Join AFT Maryland for a Community Trunk-or-Treat!

AFT Maryland invites families to celebrate Halloween with our Community Trunk-or-Treat! Bring the kids, wear your costumes, and enjoy an afternoon of fun, treats, and community.

When: Saturday, October 31, 2026, noon to 4:00 pm
Where: Armistead Gardens Elementary/Middle School
5001 E Eager Street, Baltimore, MD 21205

MORE INFO INSIDE...

At AFT Maryland’s Member Action Day, members and their families joined trainings on immigrants’ rights and election protection, picked up resources to help make ends meet, and learned how to get involved in early voting and Election Day.

“We want our members to know how hard their state federation, their national, and their local are fighting on their behalf,” said AFT Maryland President and AFT Vice President Kenya Campbell.

Thank you to everyone who came out, and to our partners at the AFL-CIO and Common Cause Maryland. 

Read more, and watch video highlights from the day...

Join with AFT Maryland members for a Member Action Day, Saturday, October 17, 2026, from noon to 4:00 p.m. We will gather at AFT Maryland headquarters at 21 Governors Court, Windsor Mill, MD 21244 for an afternoon of bringing union members together for food, music, family fun, learning, and civic engagement!

PRIZES! Did we mention there will be prizes?! Participants will have a chance to win tickets to a Ravens game, to Hamilton at the Hippodrome Theater, or for a family trip to Hershey Park! 

Details and MORE...

We are deeply saddened by the passing of our beloved friend, colleague, and fellow union member, Carolyn Caulk-Smith, who transitioned from labor to reward on September 9, 2026, at the age of 82.

Even in retirement, Carolyn remained devoted to the labor movement, serving as an officer of the Baltimore Teachers Union Retiree Chapter and on the executive board of AFT Maryland. She could always be counted on to lend a hand.

Her influence will live on in all who knew her. Our love and support go out to her family, friends, and colleagues.

READ MORE...

Maryland Governor Wes Moore held a Labor Day event honoring union members who work in public service, and we're proud that several AFT Maryland members were part of the program. From 911 specialists to teachers, health department staff to parole hearing officers, these members keep Maryland running.

AFT Maryland President Kenya Campbell and City Union of Baltimore President Antoinette Ryan-Johnson joined in celebrating them.

READ MORE ABOUT OUR HONOREES AND SEE PHOTOS FROM THE EVENT...

Every day is a cause to celebrate the work we come together to create – but without a doubt, our favorite of the year is Labor Day. On this day, we honor the generations of workers who fought before us so that we could have the rights, protections, and voice we hold today.

I have spent the last two weeks visiting classrooms, campuses, and worksites across Maryland – walking hallways, sitting with faculty during their first weeks back, and talking with members about what matters to them and what they're organizing to protect. And in every conversation, there was a sense of pride in the work they do and in showing up for Maryland's communities every day.

That readiness, that enthusiasm for our community, is what fuels our fight. It's what has powered a year of historic wins for AFT Maryland. Wins that will shape the lives of Maryland's workers for generations to come.

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Kenya Campbell, President of AFT Maryland, recently met with Dr. Jermaine Dawson, the new CEO of Baltimore City Public Schools, during a BCPSS Listening Tour. President Campbell emphasized a simple but essential priority for the union: supporting the workers who show up for Baltimore's students every day and ensuring every child has what they need to succeed.

READ MORE...

🍎 AFT Maryland President Kenya Campbell kicked off the 2026-2027 school year with a Back-to-School Tour! She visited Baltimore City Public Schools, including Fallstaff Elementary/Middle, Harlem Park Elementary/Middle, and Margaret Brent Elementary, to welcome staff, students, and families back and thank the workers who make every school day possible.

Amazing things really do happen here! 💙 
PHOTOS AND MORE INSIDE...

The 89th national convention of the AFT was held in DC this month, from July 15-19, and AFT Maryland members were there, including delegates and guests from many of our Maryland locals. Represented for the first time at convention were our newest organized unions, the United Academics of Maryland-Community Colleges (UAMD-CC) and the University of Maryland Resident and Fellow Alliance (UMRFA). 

Over 3500 delegates and visitors attended the AFT Convention 2026, making it the largest convention in the past 15 years. AFT celebrated organizing 179 new units across the country, including the two new locals from Maryland - UAMD-CC and UMRFA. 

Read on for more!