News

Unionization is on the rise at higher education campuses across Maryland. Following successful organizing drives at Howard and Frederick Community Colleges, AFT Maryland is working to successfully unionize full time faculty and information technology staff at Prince George’s Community College. A highlight of the organizing efforts was Union Authorization Card Day. This daylong event on Thursday January 18, 2024 (scheduled for two days, but inclement weather canceled the second day’s activities) featured workers at the college signing union authorization cards indicating their desire to form a union and collectively bargain. 

Read on for more!

Baltimore City Public School System is taking action to address the climate crisis. The system is among the first in the state unveiling their new fleet of electric school buses in a press conference and ribbon cutting ceremony on January 30, 2024. The event featured BCPSS CEO Dr. Sonia Santelises and federal officials from the EPA and Vice-President Harris’s office discussing the impact this fleet will have on students, families, and communities. AFT-Maryland President Kenya Campbell and City Union of Baltimore (CUB) local 800 President Antoinette Ryan-Johnson were also on hand as the new fleet of buses will involve federation members from the Baltimore Teachers Union local 340, and from CUB. 

Read on for more about the event!

Happy Lunar New Year! The Lunar New Year gives us an opportunity to highlight the rich cultural heritage of many of our members. Historically, these foundations are celebrated largely in Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, and other Asian cultures. There are many overlapping ideals and values of the Lunar New Year celebration that are bedrocks of the labor movement. It is for that reason we pause to reflect, acknowledge, and celebrate the Year of the Dragon, the 2024 Lunar New Year.

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“An injury to one, is an injury to all.” This famous labor quote set the tone for a press conference in Annapolis where the Maryland/DC AFL-CIO called on the Maryland General Assembly to pass legislation that would enable public employees throughout the state to have collective bargaining rights. Of the three bills that were highlighted during the event, AFT-Maryland has members that will be affected by two. 

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It is once again Black History Month and as a union of professionals in service to the public, this should be a celebration for all Marylanders. Many of us appreciate the historic contributions made to our state and country by Black people as those contributions have only served to enhance our nation and make the United States more just. As Americans, our country’s history is not something that should be ignored or diminished. We must tell honest truths, difficult as they may be, if we are indeed to create a more perfect union. 

Thankfully the labor movement has been and continues to be a place where Black people have been celebrated in community with others. CLICK TO READ MORE...

AFT Nurses and Health Professionals and AFT Public Employees held their Professional Issues Conference in Baltimore, Maryland last week, and AFT-Maryland was there to welcome the conference to Maryland. “Baltimore is a strong union town and Maryland is a strong state for public employees,” said AFT-Maryland President Kenya Campbell as she addressed the attendees. 

President Campbell, along with other leaders and members of our local affiliates, played a big part in the conference, offering workshops, panels, and breakout sessions for professional public health workers and public employees. 

Read on to find out more, and for photos from the event.

Join AFT-Maryland for a Trunk-or-Treat event! We'll have treats and books for the young folks, and voter registration information for the grown-ups!

Saturday, October 28, 2023, from noon to 4:00 p.m. at the Arena Players parking lot, 801 McCullough St., Baltimore, MD 21201. 

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"...As labor activists, there are lessons from the creation of our nation that we can apply to our activism. Each of the original 13 colonies had their own interests, desires, and pursuits. Those pursuits were not always aligned with one another. There were, however, places of agreement that were greater than those disputes. ..."

Read more from AFT-Maryland President Kenya Campbell.