For Immediate Release
Tuesday, November 12, 2002
UM-Baltimore 12th Campus to Vote AFSCME
Staff cite pay issue in face of soaring campus growth
Baltimore, MD —A group of 1,100 staff at University of Maryland at Baltimore voted today 457-284 to be represented by AFSCME, making it the 12th Maryland campus in a year to do so. The overwhelming vote comes in response to staff frustration over being left behind as the university speeds ahead. While the administration refused the normal pay increase this year to staff, UMB has continued its impressive building expansion program and its revenues have soared.
"Employees saw the new dental school and numerous other expensive building projects get funded, and we asked why we weren't included in UMB's growth," said Renette Cowan, an administrative assistant in the School of Social Work. "We shouldn't be left behind while the university as a whole moves ahead. We want a fair shake when it comes to pay, fairness in promotional decisions and an end to favoritism."
With the UMB victory, AFSCME now represents more than 5,500 workers at twelve state campuses in Maryland. Today's vote at the downtown campus was considered an important goal for AFSCME's statewide campaign because it is the second largest revenue generating school in Maryland's $3 billion university system.
"We are an integral part of our university community, and it's time our work was valued," said Cowan "A vote for AFSCME today was a vote for a better UMB."
The new bargaining unit includes clerical, accounting, technical, housekeeping and facilities maintenance employees. The union effort began in June with a group of employees forming a pro-union committee, and a petition was filed September 18 with the state Higher Education Labor Relations Board seeking an election.
