For this issue of The Buzz, I felt it was important to address our supervisor members and all those willing to fight for collective bargaining.
Supervisors in Maryland continue to face the same issues—low pay, high workload, no support. We supervise employees who are making as much as, or more, than us. We have no seat at the table to address workplace problems. We’re overworked and we’re underpaid.
And even though the legislators have heard these issues, they have refused to take the simple actions needed to give us a legitimate avenue to solve problems and win you the respect you deserve.
Monday, March 20 was what’s known as “Crossover Day” in the Maryland General Assembly. This date is a deadline for proposed bills to “cross over” to the other house of the legislature—from House to Senate, from Senate to House. When a bill does not cross over, it generally means that it will stay in committee, never to be voted on. In other words, the bill may die.
Despite the hard work of our members who showed up to the Senate and the House hearings to testify for our collective bargaining bill, and our members who sent many letters of written testimony to their representatives, our bill did not cross over.
But not all is lost.
The bill is not completely dead until “sine die,” the last day of the legislative session on April 10. What that means for us is there is still a chance to put massive pressure on our representatives to push the bill through committee.
We call on all State of Maryland supervisors, as well as all MCEA members who support their right to collective bargaining, to contact our legislators and demand that our bill be pushed through committee.
Contact info@mcea.org for more information on how to do this. This can be as simple as sending your representatives an email, or as serious as requesting a meeting with your representatives.
If we want to win the respect we deserve, we must act. No more time for talking—it’s time for doing.
Upcoming Events
Representative Assembly
Our Constitution compels us to hold two Representative Assemblies every year.
On Saturday, April 29, 2023, MCEA will be holding its inaugural Spring Representative Assembly Meeting from 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. This will be a hybrid meeting, and members may attend remotely via Zoom or in person at Headquarters, 7127 Rutherford Road, Woodlawn, MD 21244 – register now! All active and retired members in good standing are encouraged to attend.
Under MCEA’s new Constitution and Bylaws, the Representative Assembly meets each Spring and Fall, with representatives from all MCEA Councils. At this Spring meeting, we will be updating you on legislative matters, collective bargaining negotiations, organizing efforts, and matters of significance to our members and to all State and public employees.
In order to participate, you must register in advance. Even if you can't attend, it is VITAL that have your up-to-date contact information. CLICK HERE TO UPDATE YOUR CONTACT INFO!
You may not be able to participate in upcoming MCEA events and decisions if we do not have your email address.
We hope to see you on April 29!
Statewide Strategize & Sip Sessions
MCEA's Supervisors United for Collective Bargaining will be hosting statewide Strategize & Sip meetings. We would like to meet with you to discuss how you and your colleagues can form a bargaining unit for Supervisors statewide. YOU deserve a voice.
No need to come to our office; we are bringing the conversation to you. Use the link below to register for the city/county that’s closer to your worksite. If you are working from home, please choose a location closer to your home.
Save up to 80% on prescriptions – simply visit the Union Plus website to download your discounts card, which you can use with your existing insurance.
Did You Know?
MCEA is Maryland’s very first State employees union, established and incorporated in 1935—we turn 88 this year!
What was happening in 1935?
Post Office workers were the very first public sector unions to form, starting in 1889. In 1917, they joined the American Federation of Labor (AFL).
Then, in the 1920s, public school teachers all over the US came together to form both the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the National Education Association (NEA).
The year 1935 happened to be the same year that the Franklin D. Roosevelt administration passed the Wagner Act, which memorialized his opposition to public sector unions. On one hand, the Wagner Act facilitated the forming of unions in the private sector. On the other, its helpful provisions did not apply to state or local government, citing that the federal government could not interfere in these.
MCEA seems to have formed in defiance of FDR’s Wagner Act. Though we have called ourselves an “Association” since then, we have been a union for State employees. We know now what we knew then—the State of Maryland doesn’t run without its State employees.
Eastern Shore Retirees Meet to Build Their Union
On Wednesday, March 22, MCEA Advisory Board President Marilyn Miller led a meeting of retiree members who live on the Eastern Shore. Ray Crosby, Advisory Board Vice President, helped facilitate the meeting.
This retirees meeting provided information on the constitution, bylaws, and the latest on the prescription drug plan. Two retirees volunteered to update our retirees' contact information and plan another meeting in May.
Member Highlight: Brad Budd
Mr. Brad Budd is honored for his tremendous initiative in building the union in his workplace at the MTA. He has helped his coworkers through different problems, signed up new union members, and served on statewide MCEA committees. Here is an interview between Mr. Budd and the Buzz.
What brought you to your job at the MTA? As a young man, my mother would take me to Washington Blvd and Monroe Street to shop for clothes at the Montgomery ward. While there, I was fascinated with the buses in the Bush division yard and wanted to become a bus driver. My dream came true in May,1989.
What should the public know about your job? What do you like about it? My current job as Control room Supervisor in Metro division is very important because I am constantly making critical transportation decisions to keep the public moving in a safe and efficient manner. I enjoy the challenge of critical decision making when emergency situations happen.
Why did you join MCEA? Why is it important? When I was hired by MTA as a bus driver, I was introduced to the local 1300 union where I was a very active member. When I came into management as a Supervisor, I was not aware of MCEA until the mid 2000s.I joined immediately. I joined the union to help my fellow co-workers to make a difference in our work conditions. I believe in advocating for my fellow co-workers because I believe every employee voice should be heard and treated with fairness by management.
