Happy Holidays!
We have had an incredible year, and AFSCME members across the state have won some amazing things in 2023.
This year, we became a unified AFSCME Maryland, now representing nearly 45,000 workers across the state. And through our hard work and collective power, we have accomplished big wins at every level. At the city level, we negotiated groundbreaking contracts in places like Baltimore City and Takoma Park. In the former, our bargaining team negotiated the best contract we have seen in almost twenty years. AFSCME members who work for Baltimore City have finally won long overdue wage adjustments in their contracts as well as strong pay increases across the board.
In our county contracts, we have seen some big wins that will bring consistent yearly raises for our union members. We’ve broken the cycle of old contracts that skipped over raises in some years, and these new raises will bring greater economic stability to our members, our families, and our communities.
At the state level, we won a record-breaking settlement for members who had their time and money stolen in their paychecks during the previous Hogan administration. We’ve won over $13 million and counting in our wage theft investigation, and we’re expecting to hear more soon about an additional settlement amount. We are also negotiating a historic unified contract with the University System of Maryland that will help set strong standards for campuses across the state, and we are nearing the December 31st finish line on a new contract for state workers.
Throughout the year, we have welcomed thousands of new members into our union, whether it was through signing up our coworkers, at new employee orientations, or by organizing new unions in workplaces that didn’t have them, including the Walters Art Museum and the City of Salisbury (the first city to be organized east of the Bay Bridge!).
2023 has been an exciting and powerful year, and we couldn’t have done this without our amazing AFSCME family. Have a very happy holiday season with your loved ones, and here’s to growing more and winning more in 2024!
- AFSCME Maryland Council 3 President Patrick Moran
