The 2019 statewide meeting was a necessary and important one for MCEA. The business of the union was handled in a productive and efficient manner. The most pressing issue for the union right now is the need to grow the membership. While this is a challenge for any public-sector union, the solution isn’t always that easy.
The AFT’s long-time advocacy for public schools has just been turbo-charged, with a sweeping, multi-pronged campaign to fund the future of American public education. Amid the continuing wave of teacher activism shining a spotlight on massive shortfalls in education investment, the Fund Our Future initiative aims to take the teachers’ megaphone into Congress, statehouses and communities nationwide.
“A majority of American teens say they are worried about a shooting happening at their school. Let that sink in,” AFT President Randi Weingarten writes in her latest column for the New York Times. “Young people are demanding meaningful action beyond ‘thoughts and prayers.’ They know, as do law enforcement officers and educators, that there are effective ways to address gun violence.” Read more about the proven strategies that would enhance school safety and reduce gun violence.
It’s time to divest from private prisons: The US incarcerates more prisoners than any other nation in the world - and private prisons profit. Our new report details how AFT members can encourage their pension funds to divest from private prison corporations.
Many government employees already live paycheck to paycheck, without their government salary, it’s getting hard to feed their families.
This shutdown has plunged thousands of Americans, including many AFT members, into economic uncertainty and put critical services at risk. It’s time to end this pain being inflicted on American families.
A class-action suit filed in federal court sets out serious allegations that student loan servicer Navient has misled borrowers in public service professions from accessing a loan forgiveness program to boost its own profits. The landmark complaint, which seeks millions in damages and class-wide injunctive relief, details a spate of systematic misrepresentations, untruths and misdirection pedaled by Navient to stop borrowers from enrolling in Public Service Loan Forgiveness, a 10-year payoff plan administered by rival servicer FedLoan.
ATTENTION STATE RETIREES!
ACTION REQUIRED!
YOUR PRESCRIPTION DRUG COVERAGE MAY BE ENDING IN 2019
If you are a Medicare-eligible Maryland State Retiree, you must elect a Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plan for 2019. Or, if you are a State Retiree and have Medicare-Eligible dependents on your plan, they must elect a Part D plan for 2019.
The annual open enrollment period for Medicare Part D coverage for 2019 is from October 15, 2018 to December 7, 2018.
Members of the Maryland Classified Employees Association held a rally at their Woodlawn headquarters requesting lawmakers call a special session to [reconsider moving the retiree’s prescription drug plan to the Medicare Part D program next year.] Union leadership said the switch is going to be cost-prohibitive for many retirees living on fixed incomes.
The Maryland Classified Employees Association is pleased to announce that contract negotiations with Harford County Government have been successfully ratified by the parties. The new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) became effective on July 1, 2018 and will remain in effect until June 30, 2019.