At its December 16th meeting, the AFT-Maryland Legislative Committee identified three major areas on which it will focus during the 2014 Maryland legislative session. The committee agreed that the Maryland pension plan, workplace violence prevention, and the Correctional Officers Bill of Rights will be its primary areas of concentration.

The American Federation of Teachers, in cooperation with the First Book program, announced that it has distributed 1 million books to teachers, low-income students, community and civic groups. Those books included 400,000 books distributed in the Baltimore area.

Happy Holidays from your Union!

MPEC reminds you that the 3% COLA that was negotiated previously is effective January 1, 2014. 

Best wishes for a Happy New Year!

In Unity

Maria Mathias,
President, MPEC-AFT-AFL-CIO

AFT Healthcare-Maryland President Debra Perry reports that her union and the Department of Health and Human Resources have worked together to enable registered nurses who provide direct care to patients in the state’s 24/7 hospitals to receive a $300 bonus if they work all of their scheduled shifts throughout the month of December and do not call out.

Perry also reminds state employees that they will receive a 3 percent COLA increase in January thanks to AFT-Healthcare and the Maryland Professional Employees Council.

Nurses and Techs "Back To Bedside" At L&M Hospital, Administrators End Illegal Lockout.  Click HERE for the full story.

Check Your Paystub Today

      With the end of the calendar year, there are a number of changes taking place in the deductions from your paycheck.  With the high number of changes, there is the potential for errors.  Please take a few minutes to examine your paystub today, to confirm that it is correct.

from AFT Higher Education Newsletter

(Baton Rouge – December 17, 2013) Public funds should not be sent to any schools that pry into a person’s life and impose employment restrictions like those at Baton Rouge’s Hosanna Christian Academy, Louisiana Federation of Teachers President Steve Monaghan said today.