Like so many others across America, AFT Massachusetts teachers and school support staff are putting aside their own fears during the COVID-19 pandemic to help maintain a sense of normalcy for their students. One big area of focus for AFT Massachusetts members is food security. Educators across the Commonwealth are working hard to ensure that students and their families have food during this crisis.
AFT-Maryland sent the attached letter to Governor Hogan, Baltimore City Mayor Bernard C. "Jack" Young, Baltimore County Executive John Olszeski Jr., and the Maryland General Assembly COVID-19 Workgroup, listing important needs for public worker safety as the state begins to reopen. Key points from the letter include:
Click here or on the image to the right for a copy of the letter.
AFT-Maryland is a state federation of public employee labor unions representing more than 15,000 workers across the state of Maryland in a number of professions. Our members include education professionals and health care professionals in addition to as a host of state employees and public employees in Baltimore city and county.
Earldine Williams has been a Director with the Baltimore City Department of Recreation and Parks for 16 years, and is a member of the City Union of Baltimore, Local 800. During that time, she has developed a unique bond engaging with community members, young, middle-aged, and older citizens alike. COVID-19 has changed much of that. Prior to social distancing norms, she would see about 800 people at her center weekly. There, she and the staff offered programs and resources centering on health and wellness among other quality of life initiatives. Now, she only engages about 200 people weekly and the programs have been suspended.
While Ms. Williams is disappointed that...
SUMMARY OF THE 2021 UTAH LEGISLATIVE SESSION
It was a busy session this year. Lobbying on behalf of faculty, staff, and public employees was challenging online. We made it work! You can view our summary of bills we were tracking and lobbying. Thank you for those that worked with us and were actively involved contacting their elected officials. You made a difference on many bills.
AFT Utah Bill Tracker and Summary
Contact us with any questions or if you need more information.
801-972-1974 or toll free 877-562-1735
YOUR HARD WORK HAS PAID OFF!
Last week the nation celebrated public employees. Locally, AFT-Maryland is shining the spotlight on members just like yourself, that are making sacrifices to ensure everything from public health care, to education, to state services continue with some semblance of normalcy. Take a moment and learn about members from across the state federation.
Newark Teachers Union Local 481 and the American Red Cross are hosting an upcoming blood drive.
Please join our lifesaving mission and schedule an appointment today!
Crystal Wright is a public health nurse with the Baltimore County Health Department. She has been with them for three years. She is also a member of the Baltimore County Federation of Public Health Nurses, Local 5102. The COVID-19 pandemic has changed everything about how she does her job. One way her job is affected that may not be obvious is the degree of care she can give patients. She reports that sometimes patients see her as a confidant with a shoulder they can cry on, and she has to remember that “today it’s my patient that’s positive for the virus, but tomorrow it could be me.” With each interaction, she and other nurses are at an increased risk. The nature of her work has changed because interactions have to be brief, but focused.
