Yesterday, September 14th, Judge Theodore Thibodeau ruled against the state’s motion to dismiss our statewide emergency pay grievance. This is another important step forward in our case which is the largest grievance ever filed against the State of Maryland. AFSCME Council 3 began this case 18 months ago when the Governor stopped compensating frontline workers with emergency pay for reporting in the earliest days of the pandemic.
Management has been trying hard throughout this process to keep this grievance from being heard at a hearing. They did not want hardworking state employees to be able to testify about the grueling, dangerous, emergency conditions they were laboring under in the beginning. They will continue to argue that everyone was and continues to be safe at work from the virus since April 2020.
With today’s ruling, Judge Thibodeau has prevented the state from keeping this out of a courtroom. We will be proceeding to a hearing in the coming months, where we will be testifying and presenting evidence of the STATE BEING CLOSED for several months while our emergency essential and mission-critical staff continued to work through the closure. If you have pictures, emails, policies, etc. that show that your worksite was closed or had dramatically changed how they operate due to the pandemic, please get that evidence and information to the lead grievant from your agency or email it to us at [email protected].
The grievance procedure is long and this is just one step forward in what will continue to be a long process. Our union is continuing to fight for fair wages and safe working conditions every day in our departments, in Annapolis, and at the bargaining table. Our strength is determined by how many members we have. Stand with your co-workers and send a clear message to Governor Hogan that you stand with your union through this fight. Join your union today by clicking here!
If you're already a member, stand with your co-workers and take a pledge to stay involved in the fight for fair wages! By signing the pledge, you will stay updated on upcoming Regional AFSCME Meetings and our big rally and march to fight for wages on Thursday, October 20th. Take the pledge to fight for a raise today!
