Maryland State Workers Gain Voice on the Job with AFSCME

by Jeff Pittman  |  March 19, 2013

Workers from Maryland’s Office of the Comptroller, Department of Education, Retirement and Pension System and Transportation Authority voted overwhelmingly to join AFSCME Council 3.

Nearly 1,500 Maryland state workers have won a voice on the job with an overwhelming vote to join AFSCME Council 3.

The workers are employed in the state Office of the Comptroller, Department of Education, Retirement and Pension System and Transportation Authority. Nearly 7 out of 10 workers cast ballots for AFSCME.

The Maryland General Assembly passed a bill last April that authorized collective bargaining rights to workers in these four previously excluded agencies – rights previously granted to other state public service workers. AFSCME members lobbied hard for this bill.

 “State workers deserve the same right to vote for collective bargaining if we choose to that most other workers already have,” said state employee Jody Curry, a new, proud AFSCME member. “Nearly 70 percent of my co-workers and I voted yes, for AFSCME 3 and collective bargaining.”

Council 3 Pres. Patrick Moran said the decisive victory came at a significant time in the new council’s history.

“We were founded in December, so to come out of the gate with this significant organizing victory shows that unions are very much here for workers and workers are responding to that,” Moran said.

Workers nationwide are winning a voice on the job through AFSCME. See some of our latest victories here.