“A fair and equitable wage means to me that I will be able to afford adequate childcare for my 3-month-old son. It will mean that I can count on my pay to be able to provide all of the necessities needed to take care of my family. It will help me to focus more on my work than worrying whether I will be able to pay the bills this month.”
“Maybe I can visit my family out of state for the holidays. Currently, I won't be able to afford the costs.”
Dear Martin,
Throughout the negotiating process, we’ve emphasized that it’s your voices that need to be heard. We’ve encouraged you to speak out and be heard. And this past Monday we shared your stories with Governor Hogan’s right-hand man, Department of Budget and Management Secretary David Brinkley.
“Being I am at the end of my steps and have not had the last increment raise, any increase would mean the world to me. With a daughter with type 1 diabetes at home, the expense of her insulin and needle heads, any little bit would help.”
Each year the budget increases, but there’s no guarantee for State employees that we’ll see a piece of that growing pie. Meanwhile, our members are struggling and watching their neighbors who work for Maryland’s largest counties earn more money.
This fall, we did a study to see how far our members were falling behind their neighbors. The results were troubling. We surveyed nearly 20 different job classifications and found that county employees make more than 18% more than State employees for similar jobs.
“Since I started at my agency three years ago, two folks in my department have retired, and I've taken on their job duties. A fair and equitable wage increase would be a very nice and needed way to acknowledge that. It would allow me to put more towards retirement so that I can afford to live here in Maryland where I was born and grew up and love when it's my turn to retire.”
On Tuesday, the Baltimore Sun blared the headline, "Fact-finders in state-union talks recommend employee wage increases". It seems the paper understands what the State doesn’t: You deserve a raise.
“A fair and equitable wage increase would mean freedom to me because I would be able to come to work and completely enjoy what I do without the fear of having to find another career to make ends meet. I absolutely love my job, but I am always confronted with the dilemma of changing careers because I have to consider not just myself but my family. My kids will want to attend college one day, and they deserve that chance and any other opportunities they desire.”
Continue to make your voice heard, Click here to tell me what a raise means to you.
Yesterday, we met again with the State’s negotiators. While we were able to make some progress on the workplace bullying policy and the PEP process, the State is stalling on making a counter offer to our demands for a fair and equitable wage increase. They say they won’t make any move until after the Board of Revenue Estimates unveils their updated projections on December 13.
Thank you for all you do.
In Solidarity,
Jerry Smith, President