News

AFT-Maryland sent the attached letter to Governor Hogan, Baltimore City Mayor Bernard C. "Jack" Young, Baltimore County Executive John Olszeski Jr., and the Maryland General Assembly COVID-19 Workgroup, listing important needs for public worker safety as the state begins to reopen. Key points from the letter include:

• Gov. Hogan's COVID-19 Recovery Team must include voices from state and local public health workers, public school teachers and paraprofessionals, and non-healthcare related essential public employees. 
• The state, counties, and local municipalities must incorporate more aggressive benchmarks for testing and contact tracing.
• Maryland Occupational Safety and Health (MOSH) must establish enforceable temporary emergency workplace infectious disease standards.

Click here or on the image to the right for a copy of the letter.

AFT-Maryland is a state federation of public employee labor unions representing more than 15,000 workers across the state of Maryland in a number of professions. Our members include education professionals and health care professionals in addition to as a host of state employees and public employees in Baltimore city and county.

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AFT-Maryland was present for President Joe Biden’s visit to Baltimore. Touting federal investment in the Baltimore-Potomac Tunnel, which will bear another tube that will be named for Frederick Douglass, President Biden addressed union workers, local and state dignitaries, and others. Among those in attendance were AFT-Maryland President Kenya Campbell, Secretary-Treasurer, LaBrina Hopkins, and City Union of Baltimore President Antoinette Ryan-Johnson. Each was there to show their support for this critical investment that would improve rail transit through Baltimore and provide approximately 20,000 union jobs. Click for photos and > > > MORE

The Year of the Rabbit invites us to consider and practice ideals of kindness. These values which this Lunar New Year celebrates guide the work we do as public employees and labor members. As more than a billion people across the world gather with family, friends, and loved ones we also share in the celebration of the Lunar New Year and eagerly turn the pages of the calendar forward from the Year of the Tiger to the Year of the Rabbit. Tragically, this Lunar New Year was marred by violence in Los Angeles. Ten people were killed and another ten were wounded in a shooting that cast a pall over what should be a celebratory occasion. While we do not know the motive of this particular violence, any violence that uniquely affects a particular community is abhorrent and heartbreaking. AFT-Maryland stands firmly against Asian hate. CLICK TO READ >>> MORE

The chill in the air and the year coming to a close tells us that the winter holiday season is upon us. Many of the holidays that we celebrate during the winter season are religious. If you are a person of faith celebrating a particular spiritual holiday, use this time to reflect on the principles of the holiday more than anything else. Overwhelmingly, each of the holidays celebrated at this time of year call on us to reflect upon ourselves and families, our communities, and to commit ourselves to kindness and decency to one another. As in years past, AFT-Maryland partnered with our labor family at the Metro Baltimore AFL-CIO to package and distribute food to labor families in need. Thank you for the generosity of so many of you who... CLICK TO READ > > > MORE

AFT-Maryland joined with the National Academy Foundation High School (NAF) for its 8th Annual Staff Health and Wellness Day led by BTU Building Representative, Tondelayo Howard. Students were released after a half-day of instruction, and the staff took advantage of various activities and offerings for their betterment.  AFT-Maryland Secretary-Treasurer LaBrina Hopkins greeted BTU members at the school. She reminded a number of them, and explained to a few new staff members the relationship between their local, Baltimore Teachers Union, Local 340 and the state federation AFT-Maryland... CLICK TO READ > > > MORE

Thinking about the Thanksgiving holiday has always warmed my heart. It is a time when family gathers in the company of great food, to reflect on the many things we have to be thankful for. This year, unlike the last few, we can be thankful for a continued return to life as we knew it pre-pandemic. We remain vigilant against Covid-19 and its variants, yet we have seen a number of familiar events return as in-person gatherings are allowing us to once again build community with our labor family.   This year I’m personally thankful for the work we did to support candidates who support public employees. From the Governor’s mansion to the state house, our work during the electoral season will have a direct benefit on public employees. We helped... CLICK TO READ > > > MORE

Our nation owes a huge debt of gratitude to the people who serve our country valiantly in the armed forces. The sacrifice and commitment that military service demands is not to be taken lightly. Advancements in technology have changed the nature of the work, but that has not changed the amount of effort and sacrifice demanded of our armed services personnel. None of us at AFT-Maryland take for granted all that we have as Americans. CLICK TO READ > > > MORE

If you have student debt and, like most AFT members, work for a public or nonprofit employer - including public and nonprofit schools, healthcare facilities, institutions of higher education, and other government or 501(c)(3) nonprofit employers - you could have your entire student debt balance forgiven, but you MUST take action before Oct. 31, 2022. Click for info and MORE

Young people in Baltimore need not fear when Halloween rolls around because AFT-Maryland always brings the treats in our annual Trunk or Treat Event. The afternoon event is routinely supported by longtime collaborators with the state federation including A. Philip Randolph Institute- Baltimore Chapter, National Action Network Baltimore Chapter, and the Coalition of Labor Union Women and this year was no exception. The Arena Players parking lot once again served as the location for the event. Children from the community and a large number of youth participating in a program at the theater, came to the parking lot in their costumes to get a piece of candy from the trunks of cars. In addition to the candy that’s given away, AFT-Maryland and our partners also use the event as a time to get out the vote.... CLICK FOR PHOTOS and TO READ MORE