Governor Moore Secures Economic Agreements with Most Maryland State Employee Unions

Annapolis, MD – Governor Wes Moore has announced that the State of Maryland has successfully negotiated economic agreements with the majority of its public sector employee unions. This development, detailed in a recent announcement, signifies a commitment to supporting state workers through current economic challenges while maintaining fiscal responsibility with taxpayer funds. These agreements are designed to outline compensation, benefits, and other economic terms for the state’s unionized workforce.

The comprehensive agreements have been reached with several key unions, including the Maryland Professional Employees Council (MPEC), American Federation of Teachers – Healthcare (AFT-HC), American Federation of Teachers – Maryland School for the Deaf (AFT-MSD), State Law Enforcement Officers Labor Alliance (SLEOLA), Fraternal Order of Police – Maryland Transportation Authority (FOP-MDTA), and the International Association of Fire Fighters – BWI Firefighters (IAFF BWI). These partnerships are the result of extensive negotiations aimed at balancing fair compensation for employees with prudent management of state finances.

Collectively, these agreements are expected to provide an average pay increase equivalent to 2 percent for over 11,000 state employees. This represents an investment of $37 million in the state’s workforce. The Moore-Miller administration has emphasized its dedication to supporting state workers and upholding negotiated annual pay increases for all unionized employees. This initiative aligns with broader efforts to improve the economic standing of Maryland’s workers, including the earlier acceleration of the state’s minimum wage to $15 per hour by February 2023, benefiting approximately 163,000 workers.

Beyond compensation, the administration has also focused on enhancing workplace safety for public employees. This has been pursued through legislative action, such as the passage of the Davis Martinez Public Employee Safety and Health Act, and through a pioneering Memorandum of Understanding for State Supervisors, which grants supervisors full union protection and strengthens health and safety protocols. The State has expressed its ongoing commitment to reaching agreements with all remaining employee organizations, fostering a continued spirit of collaboration and transparency in these discussions.

Article by Mel Anara, based upon information from the Office of Governor Wes Moore

---