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Labor Union Women: Graceann Rehbein

Graceann Rehbein has been an employee of Baltimore County Government for nearly 28 years and has been an active member of Baltimore County Federation of Public Employees for 12 years. In addition to her active membership, she is a dedicated COPE contributor. Graceann has served as a Delegate, as a Steward, and on the Election Committee for BCFPE.

Beyond her work for her union, Graceann is a political and community activist who volunteers in organizing community events. Because of her community work she was awarded the Good Neighbor Week Award in 2009.

Women's History Month celebrates the great

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AFL-CIO Union Night in Annapolis April 2

[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"52440","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image media-image-right","style":"width: 379px; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; margin: 5px; float: right;"}}]]Come join with your sisters and brothers in Labor April 2, 2018 at 6:00 p.m. for Union Night in Annapolis at Lawyer’s Mall.

Bus will leave from AFT-Maryland, 5800 Metro Drive, 21215, at 5:15 p.m. and return from Annapolis at 9:00 p.m. Food and soft drinks will be served on the bus.

After the mass labor rally, we will lobby our legislators on important issues facing public employees, teachers, and PSRPs in Baltimore and across the State of Maryland.

Some of our issues include:

  • Education Funding & the Kirwan Commission
  • Ending Wage Stagnation and instituting competitive pay for Public Employees
  • Fighting proposed conversions of the Teacher and State Employee Retirement System from a Pension to a 401(k) plan
  • Solving the staffing crisis in state governmental agencies
  • Defending the right of public employees to unionize and participate in their unions

TO RESERVE YOUR SEAT:
Contact Todd Reynolds at treynolds@aftmd.org 
or call (443) 320-4719 

 

For an event flyer, click here.

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Maryland Fight for $15

As a federation of public sector labor unions, the AFT-Maryland is committed to fair wages for all of its members. That commitment extends to the entire collective of Maryland workers. That’s why the AFT-Maryland has signed on and supports the Maryland Fight for 15. This call to raise the minimum wage for all workers to $15.00 per hour. This wage will allow families living on the edge or near poverty to begin to climb the ladder of social mobility.

On Thursday, March 8, 2018, the Maryland Fight for 15 Coalition held a press conference in advance of a hearing in the Maryland state Senate. The

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BTU Members testify against Guns in Classrooms

Following the tragic shooting in Parkland, Florida at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, communities and legislatures across the country are trying to develop ways to ensure student and teacher safety in the school building. One suggestion brought forth in the Maryland House of Delegates was a bill allowing teachers and educational staff to be armed. There were a number of supporters for the bill, but few more compelling than hearing from teachers and students themselves.

Following testimony from Montgomery County Public Schools students, teachers from Baltimore City Public Schools gave

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Labor Union Women: Karen Heppner

[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"52707","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image media-image-right","style":"width: 20%; height: 20%; float: right;"}}]]Karen Heppner has demonstrated the type of leadership and activism that would make any union member proud. She has been a registered nurse working for the state of Maryland at the Eastern Shore Hospital Center for over 20 years. When the state refused to pay the negotiated retention bonus to nurses at her facility, she led the fight to force management to honor the contract. She organized nurses at her facility, where a class action complaint was filed, which led to a decision in the union’s favor from an independent arbitrator.

CLICK TO READ

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Labor Union Women: Tiffany Walker

[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"media_original","fid":"52167","attributes":{"alt":"","class":"media-image media-image-right","style":"width: 20%; border-width: 1px; border-style: solid; margin-left: 5px; margin-right: 5px; float: right;"}}]]Tiffany Walker is employed with the City of Baltimore as Community Liaison I with the Department of Public Works. Mrs. Walker was elected as Secretary for CUB in October 2010. She served two terms before being elected Executive Vice President in October 2016. She has since moved to working as a CUB Labor Relations Specialist to better serve the membership. Tiffany has always been active within the union serving as a delegate as well as on several committees such as the COPE, Personnel, Social, and Constitution and By-laws committees. She was chairperson of the COPE committee and has remained active on this committee to this day.

Click to read 

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Janus Rally at the Supreme Court

AFT-Maryland rallied with the national AFT office and a host of activists as the Supreme Court heard opening arguments in the Janus v. AFSCME 31 case. The case centers on Mark Janus, an Illinois child support specialist, being unwilling to pay his fair share as a non-union member although the union negotiated and bargained for the benefits he enjoys as an employee of the state.

In addition to a number of national labor unions in attendance including AFT, AFSCME, and SEIU, there were also a host of civil rights organizations and allies to labor unions who showed up that day. The Alliance to

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BCFPE in Annapolis

BCFPE President, John Ripley, was in Annapolis lobbying for members of the Baltimore County Federation of Public Employees. He testified to different Senate and House committees and held conversations with state leaders all for the benefit of county public employees. His goals during the meetings and conversations were to make sure the needs of municipal employees were not only heard but also considered at the state level.

BCFPE represents a diverse array of public workers employed by Baltimore County. Many of the decisions governing their work status and situation are made at the county level

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CUB Organizing Training

The City Union of Baltimore’s executive board as well as leadership from the CUB Retiree chapter met for an organizing training. Much of the organizing was gearing up for the expected verdict once the Janus v. AFSCME Council 31 case is decided. The lessons were important and necessary for CUB to grow as a strong union that represents public employees of the City of Baltimore and Baltimore City Public Schools. There will be a follow up meeting in May.
 
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Support for tax credit bill for city employees

City Union of Baltimore (CUB) President Antoinette Ryan-Johnson went to Annapolis to testify on behalf of her members and the employees of Baltimore City in support of a bill that would provide property tax credits to city employees who are among the lowest 25% earners. Ryan-Johnson’s testimony highlighted the number of city employees who would love to own homes in the city but simply cannot afford to do so. She mentioned the wealth creation that home ownership provides as well as how this bill could bring city employees priced out of the city back while allowing them an opportunity to own

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