Since our last bargaining update, we have had two in-person bargaining sessions with the University System of Maryland (USM), one at the AFSCME Maryland office in Baltimore on Wednesday, August 30 and one at Coppin State University on Wednesday, September 13.
August 30 Bargaining Session
At the August 30th session, we had a surprise visit from Senator Ben Kramer, who attended our bargaining session in his oversight and investigatory capacity. As a longtime supporter of AFSCME members, he wanted to see how SB9, the consolidated bargaining law, has been working. He also wanted to understand how bargaining has been progressing and witness the USM Management Team’s behavior firsthand. Senator Kramer also left a nice message of support for us, which you can listen to here!
At this bargaining session, the USM failed to fairly bargain with us. They refused to counter our existing proposals and failed to put forth any additional proposals. Our AFSCME Maryland bargaining team presented a proposal, and we also sat through a presentation by the USM about their operating budget. The USM team was unable to respond to or answer any of our questions because the USM did not bring any system budget staff or experts to bargaining.
We’re grateful for Senator Kramer’s continued support and his commitment to ensuring we can bargain the fair contract that we deserve. We’ll continue to take advantage of opportunities to hold USM management accountable to all of us as workers.
And of course, a big thank you to everyone who shared a photo of you and your coworkers with a #FairContractNow sticker! Actions like this help create visibility for our bargaining process and why we’re demanding a unified contract that shows the USM respects the work we do.
September 13 Bargaining Session
At the September 13th bargaining session our teams met again, this time joined by Delegate Jared Solomon, also in his oversight and investigatory capacity.
AFSCME presented two tentative agreements to the USM Management team. At the beginning of the session, we reiterated our rights under the law and continued to press the USM team on the University System of Maryland’s obligation to bargain. And of course, they pushed back. They provided some counter proposals on a variety of subjects, and our team responded in real time. As a result, we were able to tentatively agree to some language regarding information USM reports to AFSCME and an expanded procedure for paid leave from work due to court and administrative hearings. On the flip side, despite having a union office at almost every campus, the System continues to refuse to provide an office space for our union at the University of Maryland – College Park (the largest and flagship campus of the system) and Bowie State. We also have yet to receive a wage counter from the USM, and they have failed to respond to our request to bring annual leave for non-exempt and exempt employees to the same amount.
Delegate Solomon was able to witness the USM’s poor behavior. We’re grateful for his continued commitment to ensure that our voices are heard and respected at the bargaining table.
Our next bargaining session will be on Friday, September 29 at the AFSCME Maryland Bush Street office in Baltimore.
Lastly, here is what Sheila Curtis, an Administrative Assistant at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore and a AFSCME Local 1833 member and shop steward, had to say about why she wants a #FairContractNow with the USM:
The best part about my job is being able to work with UMES students and encouraging them to overcome obstacles as they work towards obtaining their education. I love to make sure the department I support is running as efficiently as possible. I enjoy helping the students that are part of the women’s organization on campus that I advise receive volunteer hours and understand the importance of giving to the community they are a part of.
As part of our bargaining team, it’s been inspiring to see the camaraderie between our union sisters and brothers in various workplaces. It’s also empowering to know that the issues we are experiencing at UMES are also happening elsewhere and we’re not alone in our fight to make a variety of working conditions better.
The issues that I’m most passionate about addressing are around sick leave and telework policies. In 2021, my youngest daughter missed an entire school year because of COVID. She spent weeks in the ICU and over five months in three different hospitals as her lungs were being ravaged by COVID. HR told me that there was no leave bank that I could access to take the extended time I needed to care for her. In reference to my extended leave request, HR’s response simply stated that my daughter was in the hospital where medical staff could provide her care and that I did not need to be there. They also told me that the option for a coworker to donate their sick leave to me was no longer in place, even though at least 10 of my fellow coworkers had reached out to HR asking if they could specifically donate to me. That heartbreaking experience showed me how important it is for all of us to be able to freely give to and access a leave bank in order to take care of ourselves and our loved ones.
During this time, UMES and my then department manager also refused to work with me to figure out a telework option. My telework was denied because I was deemed an essential worker, but nowhere on my timesheet reflected that. They were telling me that ‘UMES is a residential campus, so telework is not an option for me’, despite many of my coworkers within the department and across campus who used telework often and without concerns during and after the pandemic.
A friend told me I should quit if I’m being treated unfairly, but I told them I can’t fight if I leave or run. All of this has made me want to stay and help fight even more because I know if they’re doing this to me, they’re doing this to someone else who may not know how else to fight them. It’s time to stop the bullies from bullying. It’s going to take more than just one voice to make a difference in what we’re fighting for, but through this process, I’m proud to know that with AFSCME, we’re standing together to stop the USM and our individual campuses from being bullies.
Stay tuned for additional updates regarding our proposals and opportunities to get involved!