State employees unionized with the Maryland Professional Employees Council (MPEC) Local 6197 met at the AFT Maryland for a steward training in April. The event was well attended by members representing a wide diversity of agencies across the state. Among the attendees were a number of first time stewards as well as a host of veteran stewards. The varied experience of the attendees allowed for a great deal of peer-to-peer learning that supplemented the instruction from Samaria Sullivan of AFT and la’Rufus Mitchell of the AFT’s Union Leadership Institute.
MPEC President Jerry Smith said “Every time we have steward trainings there are new stewards who learn how to advocate for themselves and their colleagues, but what warms my heart even more is the presence of veteran stewards who learn more about the union and take away new strategies to represent the people they work with. Stewards are the lifeblood of MPEC and I’m excited after every training to send our stewards back into the workplace to fight for state employees.”
Members shared the enthusiasm for the event and came away more confident in the union than they had been before arriving. For some first-time attendees, they only had an idea of the union and had not experienced the benefits for themselves. When asked about the union, one first time steward excitedly commented, “it’s actually effective. I’m a previous employee of the Office of Administrative Hearings, and I didn’t have a good opinion of the union working on that side,” said Danyelle Avery, a member working at the Maryland Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services. She had one impression of the union from afar, but now has a different perspective after the training and hearing about the numerous victories MPEC has produced for state employees. “Just to hear that there are good outcomes… It was a good training, and it was good to be here today,” Avery continued.
Daniel Schultz, a member from the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency (MLGCA) who has served as an MPEC steward for two years, appreciates attending steward trainings that the union sponsors because there’s a chance to learn something new at every training. “The information we got as far as NEOs (New Employee Orientation) is really helpful,” Schultz noted. NEOs are where stewards have the opportunity to present the union to new hires and demonstrate why they should join, and how their collective solidarity with other state employees will benefit them. It’s here where state employees learn what the union is and what the union is not.
“The union is not Santa Claus. You can’t just say I have these issues, and think that just because you’re a member you’re going to get it resolved. You’ve gotta put the work in, you’ve gotta put yourself out there before you have an issue so we can have the strength and have the ability to come to your defense. Don't wait until you have an issue and think Santa Claus is going to solve all your issues,” Avery said.
Article and photos by AFT Maryland staff
2024-04-26