University System of Maryland (USM) agrees to pay out raises to staff after pressure from union and Governor

Baltimore – On Tuesday, September 1, the University System of Maryland agreed to stop withholding negotiated raises from its employees. Governor Moore’s administration instructed the university system to pay out the raises outlined in AFSCME’s union contract with the system. The raises include a 2.5% merit increase effective July 1, 2026 as well as a $500 base pay increase effective January 1, 2027.

This news is a direct result of pressure, rallies, and demonstrations from AFSCME members across the USM, many of who depend on these raises to keep up with rising costs of living and whose work keeps the state’s universities functioning. 

“This victory is a win for everyone — the AFSCME members who keep our campuses running, the students who come for a world-class education, and our campus communities across the state. When university system leaders attempted to treat our legally binding union contract as an option rather than an obligation, AFSCME members did not back down. We sent a clear message that leading with integrity and honor as premier higher education institutions starts with treating your workers with the respect that they deserve. We are pleased that Governor Moore and his team agree, and we are appreciative of his continued commitment to working with our union to support working people,” said Sabeela Ally, Executive Director of AFSCME Maryland Council 3.

The university system has a history of being anti-union and has made every effort to withhold the raises outlined in AFSCME’s union contract while pursuing unprecedented layoffs earlier this summer. This has included hiring a union-busting law firm, being unwilling to work with AFSCME to discuss alternative cost-saving measures, and refusing to meet with laid-off workers looking for answers. Although AFSCME members make up a fraction of the university's overall workforce, 80% of the layoffs were AFSCME members, reinforcing strong anti-union sentiment from the USM. Some of these workers also received the news that they were being laid off while on medical or parental leave, and many had open grievances with the USM that are still unresolved.

“It’s only right that the university system follows through on the union contract that we spent almost 2 years negotiating. I am thankful that Governor Moore understands the importance of honoring our raises. Every single raise that we have fought for at the bargaining table has been earned by the people who show up every single day to take care of our students and keep our universities running smoothly,” said Victoria Kelly, Vice President of AFSCME Local 1297, representing nearly 200 workers at Bowie State University.

“It’s good news that people in power finally understand their obligations to the workers who keep our campuses running, to honoring our union contract, and to doing the right thing. It’s even better news for the workers who are being increasingly squeezed by the high cost of living and depend on these raises to make ends meet. We will continue to fight tooth and nail for our union siblings who were unjustifiably laid off when the funds were clearly there, and we will continue to protect and expand workers' rights on every campus because that’s what folks deserve,” said Todd Holden, AFSCME Local 1072 leader, representing over 4,000 workers at the University of Maryland College Park.

“I’m delighted that Governor Moore’s administration recognized the importance of honoring union contracts. We spent almost two years working in good faith to negotiate these raises and this contract. I came all the way from the Eastern Shore to stand with my union, and today, we can see that standing together has made a difference,” said Deborah Robinson, Vice President of AFSCME Local 1833, representing nearly 150 workers at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore.

“When I come to work every day, I agree to do my job to the best of my ability and fulfill my obligations so that the university can maintain its reputation. Withholding our raises creates a culture of fear and uncertainty in our workplace that hurts our students, so I’m glad to see that Governor Moore has held the USM accountable to their word,” said Claudette Booth, President of AFSCME Local 3895, representing nearly 100 workers at the University of Baltimore.

The work continues to reinstate the positions eliminated by the university system, particularly at the University of Maryland College Park and Bowie State University. Workers who served in a variety of critical university positions suddenly found themselves without a job, while executive salaries have gone untouched.