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Baltimore City Public School System employees ratify new union contract in unanimous vote

AFSCME Maryland
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Agreement includes pay increases, improved health and safety protections, and expanded workplace rights for 1,000 employees 

Baltimore — On Wednesday, July 23, Baltimore City Public School System (BCPSS) staff represented by AFSCME Local 44, affiliated with AFSCME Maryland Council 3, voted to ratify a new union contract in a unanimous vote. 

AFSCME began negotiations with BCPSS in the spring and reached a tentative agreement with the school system in late June. The ratified contract delivers much-needed pay increases, improved health and safety protections, and expanded workplace rights for employees. The new contract runs from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2027. 

Highlights of the new contract include: 

  • Increases to pay, including the following: 
  • Retroactive to July 1, 2024, employees will receive an hourly rate increase of $0.25 and a base pay increase of 3.5%. 
  • Effective July 1, 2025, employees will receive an hourly rate increase of $0.25 and a base pay increase of 3%. 
  • Interval increase on the wage scale effective July 1 of each year 
  • Language mandating a compensation study facilitated by BCPSS by April 1, 2026 and wage negotiations in the third year of the contract 
  • A requirement for BPCSS to provide training and clear processes for reporting work-related injuries as well as language reinforcing compliance with Maryland’s new Heat Stress Standard; 
  • A provision that requires BCPSS to supply necessary tools and personal protective equipment to employees; 
  • And two professional development days for staff. 

This contract covers over 1,000 Baltimore City Public School System employees, including bus drivers, custodians, food service workers, hall monitors, groundskeepers, and more.  

“I’m really happy we’ve won a contract that provides us with the tools we need to do our jobs and keep us safe at work. This new contract language will ensure my coworkers don’t have to keep buying their own tools. It also means that when we’re working in the buildings this summer, we have the proper AC we need and we can ensure our buildings are safe for students, teachers, and staff,” said Everett Johnson, a Prevention Maintenance Technician for the Baltimore City Public School System. 

“I served as a member of the bargaining team, and we were able to work with BCPSS management to ensure our work and our rights are being respected through this new contract. Many of my coworkers have been working two jobs for so long, so these raises are very much needed so we can continue to be there for our students,” said Teresa Fleming, a Custodian at the Excel Academy at Francis M. Wood High School. 

“The Local 44 BCPSS bargaining team worked really hard to negotiate a contract that puts members first. We secured much-needed wage increases during a time of inflation when the cost of living keeps rising. These increases are going to help a lot of families like mine,” said Pamela Hart, a Resource Specialist for the Baltimore City Public School System. 

“Ratifying this contract means a lot to me and my fellow members. We are the hard-working people behind the scenes that help the Baltimore City Public School System run. It feels good to come together as a union to ratify a contract that pays us fairly,” said Robert Cannon, a Hall Monitor at Patterson High School. 

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About AFSCME Maryland Council 3 
AFSCME Maryland Council 3 represents nearly 50,000 public service workers in local, city, county and state government as well as in higher education and the private sector who provide the valuable public services that our communities rely on. From Western Maryland to the Eastern Shore, we make Maryland happen.