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Thank You Public Health Workers

April 7th -13th is National Public Health Week.

AFT Healthcare-MD is sending out a 'Thank You' to all our public health employees in Bargaining Unit E for the great work you do for the citizens of Maryland.

This legislative session we were able to fight back the recommendations of the Department of Legislative Services that would have decreased our newly agreed upon 2% COLA increase in January 2015, pushed back the resumption of step increases, and eliminated the four new health premium holidays. Also, in coalition with other unions and interested groups we were able to get a bill passed by the

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AFT-Maryland Aids Kansas Organizing Effort

AFT-Maryland staff and affiliate members journeyed to Wichita, Kansas, March 9-14 for a week of intensive training in the AFT organizing model and to help the Kansas Organization of State Employees (KOSE) identify potential activists and recruit new union members. The AFT-Maryland volunteers joined union members from Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, and Kansas in the joint organizing effort, which was launched as a part of the “Reclaiming the Promise of High Quality Public Services for Strong Communities,” an AFT national initiative."

AFT Secretary-Treasurer Lorretta Johnson launched

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NPR looking for on-the-job injuries that affect nurses, CNA's and other staff at hospitals and nursing homes

NPR reporter Daniel Zwerdling and colleagues are researching on-the-job injuries that affect nurses, CNA’s and other staff at hospitals and nursing homes. If you have suffered a back, neck, shoulder or other injury that interferes with your work – and even your daily life – will you please contact us through this survey?  https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1lMJNg602x8TKHjK42e1IDUbZKA2iGd2npnF5D7ptbno/viewform?usp=sharing
 
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Support SB 483 for workplace violence prevention

AFT Healthcare-Maryland President Debra Perry submitted testimony in favor of Senate Bill 483 February 20th. That bill proposes additional protections for workers in healthcare facilities. Perry’s testimony documented numerous incidents of violence that had befallen healthcare workers in state facilities and requested that legislators pass the bill SB 483.

The bill calls for the creation of a committee to study workplace violence prevention measures and the establishment of specific procedures that greatly reduce the opportunities for a violent incident to occur in state healthcare facilities.

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Write your legislators. State Employee Pensions AT RISK!

That’s right. Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley has submitted a budget that calls for reducing the state’s contribution to the pension plan by $100 million dollars a year.

That’s not fair! Click here to tell your legislators to vote against cutting the state's contribution to the pension fund.

Two years ago, that state required you to increase your contribution to the employee pension fund. In return, the legislature promised to contribute $300 million per year to that fund. Now, Governor O’Malley is breaking that promise. There are several problems with the governor’s proposal:

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Looking for AFT's "Everyday Heroes"

We know that AFT members are heroes who are reclaiming the promise every day, and we want to hear about them!

Do you know an AFT member who has made a difference in his or her workplace? Someone who has had a profound and positive impact on the community? Someone whose extraordinary contribution in his or her field of work, or to the lives of others, has been heroic?

Please nominate your Everyday Hero by filling out a brief form by Jan. 31, 2014, at www.aft.org/everydayheroes, and you will be entered to win a $250 gift card.

We will identify semifinalists from each of our constituencies: 

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