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AFT-Maryland/BTU President Marietta English addressed attendees at the educational town hall meeting, “Diversifying the Nation’s Teacher Workforce,” held on the campus of Howard University in Washington, D.C., last week. Speaking during a panel discussion, President English told conference attendees that money alone would not attract new teachers.

"We have to go beyond salaries, benefits and working conditions," President English said. She stated that opportunities for professional development and collaboration with other teachers also needed to be a part of contract negotiations.  The

Every year on April 28, the unions of the AFL-CIO observe Workers Memorial Day to remember those who have suffered and died on the job and to renew union efforts for safe workplaces.

The struggle continues in this country to create good jobs that are safe and healthy and to ensure the freedom of workers to form unions and, through those unions, to speak out and bargain for respect and a better future.

Download a fact sheet about Workers Memorial Day here.

Materials that support Workers Memorial Day, including fact sheets, fliers, and stickers, can be obtained from the AFL-CIO website, Workers

Working America, AFL-CIO's community affiliate, is launching a new site, www.FixMyJob.com, where workers will have a resource for getting  more information and where they can raise concerns about workplace issues—privately.

For the site to be successful, more information needs to be collected about people who work. Workers are encouraged to take a few minutes to answer some quick questions about their current or last job and to fill out the quick survey to share your story of work and to make sure FixMyJob.com becomes a powerful tool to support workers.

Visit go.aflcio.org/fix-my-job.
 

AFT Healthcare and AFT Public Employees will sponsor their 2013 Joint Conference April 25-27 at the Hilton Baltimore Hotel in Baltimore, Maryland.

Under the theme “Solution Driven Unionism,” the conference will feature workshops and presentations on topics of interest to healthcare professionals such as Status Report: National and State Initiatives Resulting from The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, New Roles for RNs and Other Healthcare Providers, Addressing and Preventing Substance Abuse in Healthcare Workers, Best Practices in Safe Patient Handling, and Preparing for Joint Labor

After winning a 107-30 vote in the Maryland House of Delegates last week, the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee unanimously passed the Baltimore City School Construction bill March 27.  

Members of the AFT-Maryland legislative team testified March 26 before the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee, supporting the legislation that would finance new school construction in Baltimore. Modified by legislators, the bill now proposes only $1.5 billion for new school construction.

Originally the bill proposed $2.5 billion for that purpose. The new version of the bill also eliminates the creation of a

The Executive Board of the American Federation of Teachers held its first meeting of 2013 March19.

President Marietta English reported to the board on the federation’s activities, emphasizing the work done on bills now before the Maryland state legislature. The president reported that the AFT-Maryland legislative team had presented testimony on several bills of importance to labor and working families and cited the federation’s support for the Voting Rights Act in a demonstrations before the Supreme Court in February.

The president also noted that several pieces of national legislation—the Fair

The Baltimore City Public Schools Construction and Revitalization Act of 2013 was passed in the Maryland House of Delegates March 20, but only after having been completely rewritten by Maryland legislators.

Several pages of amendments significantly change the bill’s original proposals. Originally, the bill proposed establishing a Baltimore City Public Schools Construction Authority authorized to issue bonds to finance new school construction. The bill also called for the state to provide a block grant each year for school construction projects in Baltimore City.

The revised bill proposes the

The Maryland Senate passed Governor O’Malley’s budget with overwhelming support March 21. Only five Republicans voted against the budget, with seven Republicans joining 35 Democrats voting to support the budget.

The Maryland House of Delegates approved the governor’s proposed state budget March 15. The Democratic-controlled House voted 101-36 for the bill, largely along party lines. Both houses have approved a $36.8 billion budget for Fiscal Year 2014.

The budget bill now goes to a conference committee where legislators will resolve the differences between the House and Senate versions of the

Members of the AFT-Maryland legislative team testified in opposition to four charter school bills for which hearings were held March 13. The bills proposed making a study of ways to improve to charter schools, allowing charter schools to directly hire school personnel, establishing an independent charter school advisory council, and proposing that charter schools be allowed to certify their own principals.

Speaking on behalf of President Marietta English in hearings before the house Ways and Means Committee, AFT-Maryland representatives testified that charter schools were public schools and