This article was republished with permission from 海角社区app’s news partners at .聽Sign up for today.
This content was republished with permission from 海角社区app鈥檚 news partners at Maryland Matters. Sign up for聽听迟辞诲补测.
Maryland鈥檚 largest state employee union announced Friday that it was unable to reach contract negotiations with the state and said union members were being discriminated by Gov. Lawrence J. Hogan Jr. (R).
鈥淭here is a pattern of bias and, I would say, discrimination against our members who are the lowest paid in the state,鈥� Patrick Moran, president of The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 3, said at a news conference.
This is the first time that the union and the state could not settle upon an agreement since former Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. (R) was in office.
AFSCME is the state鈥檚 largest labor union, representing over 30,000 workers across different agencies, including the Department of Health, the Department of Juvenile Services and the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services. Union representatives report that six members have died of COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic and that over 10% have been infected.
According to Moran, other labor unions successfully negotiated a 6.3% guaranteed wage increase. AFSCME was offered 1%, contingent on the condition of the state鈥檚 economy. He said the union was simply working toward achieving parity in the form of a 4% wage increase and a step increase.
鈥淣ot for multiple years 鈥� for one year,鈥� he explained. 鈥淎nd that was rebuffed.鈥�
By contrast, Moran said in a statement issued in the early hours of 2021, the Hogan administration has agreed to increase pay to police officers and firefighters by nearly 25% over the course of three years.
Denise Henderson, a bargaining team member and the union representative for Department of Juvenile Services employees, called the state鈥檚 proposal 鈥渁 slap in the face.鈥�
鈥淚 could not in good conscience go back and take that offer to my membership,鈥� she said.
Between 2020 and 2022, AFSCME members are poised to receive a 5% wage increase, explained Cherrish Vick, the union鈥檚 secretary-treasurer.
鈥淚n the same period, police and fire unions will receive over 20.9% in pay increases, guaranteed,鈥� she said.
Moran calls this discrimination.
鈥淏y its conduct in negotiations, the Administration does covertly, that which it cannot do overtly: to favor its political supporters and to penalize those who question the Administration鈥檚 priorities,鈥� he wrote in a letter to Joseph Horvath, the chief negotiator for the Department of Budget and Management, on Dec. 22. 鈥淏y its conduct in negotiations, the Administration systematically rewards conservative white males and frustrates the careers of non-white and non-male State employees.鈥�
Vick said at the Friday news conference that the union refused Hogan鈥檚 offer because its members are equally deserving of the pay increases that police and fire unions will see.
鈥淭he difference is clear,鈥� she asserted, noting that AFSCME鈥檚 members are largely women and people of color while members of the police union are overwhelmingly white men.
鈥淚f that isn鈥檛 discriminatory 鈥� and a whole lot of other words I could use 鈥� then I don鈥檛 know what that is,鈥� said Moran.
In turn, Horvath told Moran that his 鈥渙ffensive and antagonistic allegations鈥� only hinder their ability to come to an agreement. He also asserted that leadership from other unions is better prepared in their approach.
鈥淲hen the police and firefighters鈥� unions come to the bargaining table, they have come armed with well-reasoned proposals that are data driven and place the interests of the bargaining unit members above political considerations,鈥� wrote Horvath.
Moran鈥檚 鈥減roposals simply are out of touch with the reality of the State鈥檚 fiscal situation,鈥� he continued. 鈥淎FSCME鈥檚 agenda at the bargaining table seems to be to fuel discord, cry foul and then ask the legislature to give you what you can鈥檛 responsibly negotiate.鈥�
In an email to Maryland Matters, Hogan Spokesman Michael Ricci called the union president鈥檚 leadership into question.
鈥淥nce again, Mr. Moran has left his frontline members out in the cold while the state reaches agreement with our other 鈥� clearly better-led 鈥� unions, including teachers, nurses, police, firefighters, and healthcare professionals,鈥� he wrote. 鈥淲e all know the drill by now: he lashes out in the media to deflect from his inability to deliver.鈥�
In addition, Ricci said that all state employees鈥� received a 2% raise on Jan. 1.
Digging his heels in, Moran told the press that AFSCME will continue to push for health and safety negotiations with the state.
鈥淲e are not done with this yet,鈥� he clarified. 鈥淲e think that more Marylanders need to know about this and the absolute disregard for public health and safety that the governor has shown in this instance.鈥�
