AFSCME Locals 227, 1427, 3661, 3737 Met with Baltimore City House Delegation

Last night, members of the Baltimore City House Delegation met with AFSCME members from Locals 227, 1427, 3661, and 3737 to discuss challenges that workers face at pre-trial and correctional facilities in Baltimore.

Earlier this summer, the Public Safety Subcommittee of the Baltimore City House Delegation held a briefing with DPSCS and the ACLU to discuss conditions at the Baltimore Central Booking and Intake Center and members of the Delegation will be visiting the facility later this year.

Sergeant Brittany Cozart, Vice President of AFSCME Local 1427, shared with legislators the challenges that low compensation for correctional officers has created: chronic short staffing and unsafe working conditions.

Without competitive compensation, Baltimore's pre-trial and correctional facilities lack the necessary number of correctional officers needed to safely staff our correctional facilities. Sergeant Cozart educated legislators on the failures of the Hogan Administration to fund step increases for state employees, resulting in correctional officers' pay falling further and further behind from where they should be. Cozart described the emotional and mental health toll that insufficient staffing takes on correctional officers, especially when they are routinely drafted into mandatory overtime. 

Additionally, Sergeant Cozart shared concerns about the construction of the Baltimore Therapeutic Treatment Center and the lack of transparency about how the new facility would be staffed and what impact staffing the new facility may take on existing officers at existing correctional facilities in Baltimore.

Officer LaTonya O'Brien, Vice President of AFSCME Local 3737, and La'Quan Alston, a Pre-trial Release Investigator and Executive Vice President of AFSCME Local 3661, echoed Segeant Cozart's concerns on staffing,while also elevating challenges with building conditions at facilities and health and safety. Water damage, mold, problems with rodent infestations, and concerns about security doors were just a few examples raised with legislators on areas needed for improvement with existing facilities, while insufficient training for employees and a lack of protective vests for officers were highlighted concerns raised on health and safety.

AFSCME thanks Delegate Melissa Wells (Chair of the Baltimore City House Delegation), Delegate Elizabeth Embry (Public Safety Subcommittee Chair of the Baltimore City House Delegation), Delegate Regina Boyce, and Delegate Sean Stinnett for meeting with AFSCME members and listening to their issues and concerns. We look forward to future work together to improve conditions for staff, incarcerated individuals, and creating safe and healthy facilities.