Bargaining for Victory

Maryland state employees win major battle in the war for collective bargaining rights.

Landover, Maryland

Staunch union activist Betty Diggs never doubted that someday state workers would win collective bargaining rights.

At a regional rally last year to kick off a statewide campaign to win collective bargaining, she told a large AFSCME gathering that the time was right for state workers to use their energy and compassion to fight for their rights. "It's now or never," she declared.

Some 47,000 state workers took heed of her charge and prevailed. Their methodical, broad-based campaign resulted in an executive order by Gov. Parris Glendening granting them collective bargaining rights.

"For years, we've been like spectators at a race watching management unilaterally decide our fate on wages and working conditions," said Diggs, a social worker supervisor and Local 112 (Council 92) executive board member.

The intensive collective bargaining campaign also set into action a major organizing drive that has already collected 15,000 cards and petitioned the Department of Labor and Licensing Regulations for union representation elections that will be held later this fall.

Keeping up. AFSCME Pres. Gerald W. McEntee called the executive order a direct result of state workers' grass-roots activities.

"When legislative jockeying stalled the collective bargaining bill in the general assembly, state workers kept the political momentum going straight through to the governor's office," said McEntee. "They didn't miss a beat, and that's why there's collective bargaining today in the state of Maryland."

Thousands of state employees like Diggs, along with community allies, kept their eyes on the prize. They crisscrossed the state, holding meetings and rallies. They mobilized to write letters, make phone calls, and visit state legislators and members of the Glendening administration.

Though the executive order does not cover the state university system, it is a disappointment that McEntee said "will be addressed."

McEntee pointed out that collective bargaining has proven to be the engine of the high-performance workplace, particularly in the public sector. "Public services can't be strengthened without front-line employees who have a real voice in the workplace. That real voice is collective bargaining."

On the sidelines. According to Diggs, state workers earn 30 percent less than their counterparts in county service who are unionized. For example, a clerk typist III is paid $19,080, while a county employee performing the same work is paid $28,974.

"For too long, we've delivered quality services while being treated like second-class citizens," said Diggs, who currently works in Adult Services. "Our caseloads have heightened due to rising unemployment, family crises and violence," she continued. "At the same time, we've experienced wage freezes and watched our hourly pay dwindle. We've also seen permanent layoffs and unfilled attrition vacancies, so we're understaffed on top of everything else."

For Diggs, the victory translates into some light at the end of the tunnel for state workers. "Everybody's really excited and looking forward to negotiating our first contract. And you can bet your bottom dollar that with AFSCME at the bargaining table, we'll finally win dignity and respect as first-class citizens."

By Venida RaMar Marshall