Summer is here, bringing intense heat and humidity with it. This means dangerous working conditions for many on the job. AFT Maryland and the City Union of Baltimore (CUB), along with a coalition of labor unions, recently scored a victory for worker safety during the hot days of summer. Together, we worked for new regulations to protect workers from the increasing risk of heat-related illnesses on the job.

The Maryland Occupational Safety and Health (MOSH) division of the state’s Department of Labor (DLLR), finalized the new heat illness prevention rules with implementation to begin ahead of the 2025 summer season. 

Under the new rules, employers must take specific actions when the heat index hits 80°F or higher. 
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Feldman Strategies, team@feldmanstrategies.com
May 28, 2025

The bargaining team – made up of residents and fellows – have spent months at the table fighting for their first contract on behalf of nearly one thousand colleagues who voted to unionize almost one year ago in June 2024

BALTIMORE –  Today, resident and fellow physicians at the University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC) – who have spent months fighting to secure a fair union contract in the face of delay tactics from hospital management – have sent a new petition to UMMC CEO, Dr. Bert O’Malley, demanding the improved working conditions, benefits, and increased wages they deserve. 

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This year has tested us all. The hostile takeover by the new administration has left many uncertain about the future of our schools, our jobs, and the communities we serve. Memorial Day offers us a pause, a chance to take a breath, reflect, and reset. It’s a reminder that even in trying times, the seasons shift, the days grow longer, warmer, and we are still here, standing strong together.

Beyond the cookouts and family gatherings, Memorial Day asks something deeper of us – to honor the sacrifice of those who gave their lives in service to something greater than themselves. As public employees, we know what it means to fight and serve for our communities. And so we hold a special reverence for those who made the ultimate sacrifice in that same spirit.

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AFT Maryland is proud to recognize and celebrate the incredible leadership and support of the following Maryland legislators, who stood with the federation and our members through the 2025 legislative session.

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This is an important week for AFT Maryland as we proudly celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week, Nurses Appreciation Week, and Public Service Workers Recognition Week. AFT Maryland represents dedicated workers who keep our communities running: educators, healthcare workers, state employees, and civil servants. You are the backbone of our schools, hospitals, agencies, and institutions, and the value you bring to Maryland cannot be overstated.

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FREDERICK, MD – In a major victory for higher education workers, faculty at Frederick Community College won a tentative agreement on their first union contract. United Academics of Maryland Community Colleges faculty at Frederick are the first community college in Maryland to do so under the state’s new collective bargaining law for faculty, passed in 2022. The agreement would be the first contract for full-time faculty at the state’s community colleges.

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Today, we remember, honor, and mourn the lives of workers who should still be with us – the unsung heroes whose lives were lost while they were serving the people of Maryland – but we also make sure that their memory fuels the fight to ensure that this never happens to another worker again.

This Workers’ Memorial Day, we are met with the reality that many of our members continue to face dangerous conditions every single day...

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After a winter that demanded resilience and collective effort, we welcome spring! Throughout the colder months and now into this new season, our members have been organizing for change for education, healthcare, public service and all workers here in Maryland.

This winter, we faced large amounts of adversity, with the wave of attacks on public education, civil servants, and vital healthcare by the new administration that is leaving many feeling uncertain and wary. Despite this, our union continues to grow stronger...

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The FY2026 budget dominated the 2025 Maryland General Assembly session, as lawmakers worked to close a projected $3 billion deficit. The final budget package - HB 350 (Budget Bill) and HB 352 (Budget Reconciliation and Financing Act, or BRFA) - includes both spending cuts and new revenues to balance the budget while maintaining investments in education and public employees.

AFT Maryland and its affiliate unions tracked over 35 bills, testified on more than a dozen, and submitted written testimony in over 45 hearings. We thank all our locals for submitting testimony and coordinating with the state federation to get witnesses to Annapolis.

While not every bill we supported passed, we achieved significant victories: passing key legislation, preserving critical budget funding, and defeating proposals that would have harmed our affiliates and members.

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When the Maryland General Assembly’s session opened in January, the fear about a historic budget deficit was at the top of everyone’s mind. Not only was the state facing a deficit following a decade of stagnant economic growth, but radical changes from the Trump Administration that could disrupt the state’s economy helped to block out other legislative issues. 

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