Maryland State Employee Union Files Unfair Labor Practice Charges: What You Need to Know

“In supporting public employees, it’s crucial to avoid engaging in unfair labor practices,” stated Patrick Moran, president of the Maryland chapter of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), during a news conference in Baltimore. “It’s about adhering to our contractual commitments and ensuring state employees receive the respect and dignity they rightly deserve.”

AFSCME represents over 55,000 individuals throughout Maryland, including 26,000 who work directly for the state.

While Moran did not specify the exact number of charges filed, he indicated that these complaints span various agencies and address numerous concerns faced by his members, “ranging from issues like shift differentials to telework and military leave,” all of which he mentioned have already been negotiated.

Negotiators from AFSCME and Moore’s administration are currently engaged in discussions to finalize a new contract, which is set to be completed by December 31.

Moran highlighted that state employees represented by AFSCME have “lagged by 10% behind inflation” regarding cost-of-living adjustments, noting that salary step increases have only been granted about half the time.

“At this point, state compensation is falling short compared to county governments in Maryland, further worsening our long-standing issues with hiring and retaining employees,” he explained.

A representative from Moore’s administration contested this assertion, stating that during Moore’s nearly three years in office, the average salary for AFSCME-represented workers has risen by 12.47%, while inflation has only increased by 8%.

“Each year, the governor has demonstrated his commitment to public servants and organized labor,” commented Rhyan Lake, a spokesperson for the Moore administration. “Despite ongoing budget challenges, the state and the union have consistently reached agreements to facilitate annual salary increases.”

Voluntary Separation, Contract Dependence, and Ongoing Budget Challenges

After grappling with a nearly $3 billion budget deficit during the 2025 legislative session, Moore introduced a plan to reduce the state employee workforce, anticipating cost savings through a voluntary separation program. Moran criticized this initiative, claiming it has only intensified the state’s ongoing staffing crisis.

According to a representative from Moore’s administration, the program resulted in the elimination of 332 positions within the state government.

Moving forward, the governor and the Maryland General Assembly face significant challenges in balancing the budget, with a projected deficit of $1.2 billion for the 2027 fiscal year.

Cherrish Vick, AFSCME Maryland’s secretary-treasurer and a caseworker at the Department of Human Services, emphasized that the state has become overly reliant on contracting out jobs. Vick noted that Maryland has overspent on contractual services by $7.6 billion between 2020 and 2025.

“It’s unreasonable to expect a balanced budget while asking state workers to forego deserved compensation when the state fails to manage its own spending on contracted services responsibly,” she argued. “We are prepared and have been willing to partner with the state in a sustainable manner that does not jeopardize state employees, state services, or Maryland’s working families.”

In addition to outsourcing work, the union claims that the state has incurred substantial expenses on overtime pay.

Oluwadamilola Olaniyan, a correctional officer at Jessup Correctional Institution, cited that Maryland spent $205 million on overtime in 2024 for the Department of Public Safety and Correctional Services alone.

“The staffing crisis doubles as a budget crisis,” Olaniyan stated. “That funding could have instead employed 2,800 full-time staff members.”

Jenny Reese, a licensed practical nurse at Spring Grove Hospital Center, shared her firsthand observations on how the “lack of investment in state services” affects her colleagues, who are often “overworked and burned out due to understaffing,” combined with physical threats and deteriorating facilities.

She pointed out that the inadequate staffing limits the facility’s ability to provide essential therapeutic activities and conduct competency groups that help patients familiarize themselves with the legal processes. Reese noted that while the state has recognized the difficulty in filling these positions, “it has not taken effective measures to raise salaries to attract and retain staff.”

“There are significant budget implications arising from this lack of investment,” Reese added.

In 2024, the Maryland Department of Health faced court contempt and was fined $1.5 million due to failures in timely transferring mentally ill defendants from local jails to state mental health facilities, as mandated by law.

Reese believes that without increased pay for state employees, vital services for vulnerable populations will only continue to decline.

“If we don’t improve compensation, it’s likely that more employees will leave state service,” cautioned Reese. “This will lead to heightened levels of overtime and injuries, leaving patients and staff at greater risk, and ultimately, jeopardizing the safety of our communities when patients cannot access the rehabilitative care they require to reintegrate safely into society.”