Behind every diploma are union workers. AFSCME represents over 6,000 staff throughout the University System of Maryland — from academic advisors to administrative assistants to groundkeepers and more — who serve our students and keep these campuses running.

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Here’s what’s happening:

  • The positions targeted for layoffs all directly served students, staff, and faculty and include a range of job titles across various departments.
    • In May, Bowie State University began issuing layoff notices for 21 AFSCME-represented positions.
    • On June 3, the University of Maryland College Park announced layoffs for 73 AFSCME-represented positions. 
  • Neither university attempted to explore other options, including reducing costly consultants or top-level administration, before laying off AFSCME members.
    • Both Bowie State University and the University of Maryland have cited record fundraising in recent years.
    • The universities also currently have excessively large endowment funds and state fund balances.
  • In this past legislative session, state leaders recognized the reduction in federal funds for higher education.
    • State leaders increased funding to the University System of Maryland (USM) to make up for this.
    • The State of Maryland fully funded salary increases for university staff, allocating $35.7 million specifically for pay increases for FY 2027. USM leaders have so far refused to follow through on our already-negotiated wage increases.