For Immediate Release
Wednesday, November 14, 2001
Frostburg staff vote 'AFSCME' in state's first university union election
AFSCME elections set for more schools
UM Baltimore County to file for AFSCME tomorrow
AFSCME was the resounding choice of Frostburg State University staff in the first-ever union election for a Maryland state university. AFSCME is on the ballot in a series of college and university elections to be held over the next month. Maryland's higher education staff are now free to organize themselves into unions as a result of the collective bargaining law passed this April by the General Assembly.
The bargaining law took effect in July and Frostburg employees were the first to file for union representation. Today's election covered approximately 230 office support and service and maintenance employees.
"The shaky economy and the budget cutbacks have university staff concerned," said Menelika McCarthy, an administrative assistant at Frostburg. "It's become clear that we need a real voice in what happens to our jobs and pay. We need to team up with a union that has the experience and the strength to deal with these issues; that's why we went with AFSCME."
The tally was 122 for AFSCME and 37 for a small, independent association. Only 55 voted for no representation. The AFSCME-represented employees will now begin preparing for contract negotiations covering their pay, benefits and working conditions.
"There are a number of issues at work that need attention," said McCarthy. "Now we will have a meaningful way to address these problems and start fixing them." Other employee concerns include fairness in pay and in personnel policies.
"The staff of Frostburg State are to be congratulated," said Sally Davies, chairperson of AFSCME's statewide university organizing committee and a program coordinator at the University of Maryland University College. "They worked hard to organize themselves for this victory. University staff across Maryland share many of the concerns facing Frostburg and are looking to resolve them. Frostburg's vote for AFSCME will help show the way to building a better workplace and a more secure livelihood for Maryland college and university staff."
The next election will be at Baltimore City Community College on Nov. 29. Tomorrow the staff at the University of Maryland Baltimore County will be filing for AFSCME representation. That would make for 23 bargaining units at 13 campuses that will have filed for AFSCME. Over 4,000 employees are included.
AFSCME, with 1.3 million members nationwide, represents over 100,000 employees in higher education. It is also the union for 30,000 Maryland state employees.
