The VSP offered today by Department of Budget and Management benefits neither the employee nor the State. (Sun: "State workers offered $15k in voluntary separation program") It is instead a reward for political appointees who will be leaving State government.
It's one thing to work to get officials elected; it's another to lobby them for action. In an effort to lobby their elected representatives, AFT-Maryland took to Annapolis on February 9th to let State Delegates and Senators know just how they felt about a number of issues.
Debra Perry, President of AFT Healthcare-Maryland and Executive Director Michael McNally met February 4th with Governor Hogan’s representative Cindy Kollner, Executive Director of Department of Budget and Management to begin negotiations over proposals that would help the Governor balance the budget and still honor the agreements in the existing MOU executed between the Union and the O’Malley administration before they left office.
Are state workers not Maryland families? Governor Hogan said Maryland families have been tightening their belts, but his new budget makes state workers tighten them even more. Under the Governor's budget, well deserved and long overdue Cost of Living increases will be taken back by the State.
The AFT has joined with the Obama administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, state and local leaders, and public health advocates in calling for individuals and parents to vaccinate themselves and their children amid a new outbreak of measles.
Prior to the inauguration of Governor Hogan, MPEC and AFT Healthcare-MD sent letters of congratulations to then Governor-elect Larry Hogan and asked that he meet with the two Unions to discuss working together in a collaborative process to meet the interests of the employees they represent while at the same time meeting the interests of his administration when they are able to, without making it more difficult for the employees to provide excellent services to the public.