In AFT President Randi Weingarten’s latest New York Times  column, she describes what it is exactly that unions do. Though unions are the most popular they have been in decades, anti-union sentiment still thrives in red states and across the nation. “Several years ago, The Atlantic ran a story whose headline made even me, a labor leader, scratch my head: ‘Union Membership: Very Sexy,’” Weingarten writes in the column. “The gist was that higher wages, health benefits and job security—all associated with union membership—boost one’s chances of getting married. Belonging to a union doesn’t actually guarantee happily ever after, but it does help working people have a better life in the here and now.” Click through to read the full column.

Jan/Feb 2023

Administrator's Report

It’s a new year, and it’s the same struggle for fairness, dignity, and respect; we face the new year with a determination to make it our best on record.

What can we do to have the best year possible? We need stronger contracts, and more members who are active. The old saying goes that we spend a third of our lives at work. If we are united and organized in our union, we have so much power to make that third of our lives better.

We hit the ground running. We are at the bargaining table fighting for Salisbury University employees, Harford County employees, and our

MCEA supervisors: Tell us about YOU! Click through to fill out this survey.

How can we better serve you at work? Supervisors need a voice in policy and operational decisions--we're on the frontlines, we know our employees, and we know our jobs. So let's dig into what we can improve.

Click here for a printable PDF version.

November 2022

Ratified! Our New Constitution & Bylaws Pass Overwhelmingly

Yes - I approve MCEA's Constitution & Bylaws wins with 94.45% of the vote.

Congratulations, MCEA, on your new Constitution & Bylaws. Visit http://mcea.org to view them.

Administrator's Report

On Saturday, November 19, 2022, we held a General Membership Meeting via Zoom. First, I detailed the contributions of the MCEA Advisory Board. Formed from previous executive board members, both active and retiree members, the Advisory Board met monthly to bring our union to where it is now. Some of these contributions include

From MCEA Advisory Board member Brad Budd:

As a new member on board with the team, I really had a very enlightening and educational experience at this year's AFL-CIO conference. I could feel a sense of unity and cohesiveness throughout the entire convention. Thank you, Marilyn Miller, for your leadership throughout the conference. Thank you, Leonard Lee, for your words of wisdom and advice.

On September 27, 2022, we held our first Supervisors Council meeting, bringing together supervisors from across Maryland to discuss our shared experiences and issues.

We are holding follow-up meetings. Join us by registering at the links below:

• 12 noon, Tuesday, October 25
• 6 pm, Wednesday, October 26

Salisbury University Maintenance Mechanics win backpay from unpaid shift differentials

A few maintenance mechanics were asked to cover a shift because of a vacant position and they were not paid their night shift differential as has been the practice for decades.

We asked management why this happened and management boldly claimed that we should never have received night differentials and that we’re lucky we don’t have to pay them back, as if our time and work doesn’t matter. Our members reminded management that our contract, as well as State law, guarantees our shift differentials. Our members