Bargaining Update: March 27, 2025 Session

On March 27, the AFSCME Maryland Bargaining Team (made up of member leaders from Locals 44, 558, and 2202) met with Baltimore City at our union hall.

Our union provided almost all of our non-economic proposals to the City, including comprehensive language on health and safety.  Our proposal would increase the number of members on the health and safety committee and our access to oversight, inspections, and safety data.  The language would also mandate a series of trainings the City is responsible and would strengthen contract language to protect workers who feel that there are unsafe conditions.

Our union also made proposals to do the following:

• Ensure that additions or changes to Standard Operating Procedures must be negotiated
• Require office space for our union at large city facilities
• Mandate training on operating equipment and important city policies
• Allow lateral and promotional transfers without negative impact to a member’s hourly wage or benefits.

For Local 2202 specifically, we provided management a telework proposal after they failed to deliver on their promises in our last negotiations.

Management did not have any proposals for us but did talk through some potential responses. Management did not provide anything in writing.

The AFSCME team continues to wait for a response from the City regarding outstanding information requests related to the scale and scope of bargaining unit work that has been contracted out as well as a list of all employees currently unrepresented by a union.  We are also waiting for the City to respond to our proposed language regarding the health plan.

The City is scheduled to release its preliminary budget in the first week of April.  After its release, we will begin to bargain economic subjects, including wages.