Jay Perman, chancellor of the university system, joined AFSCME members in a signing ceremony Friday after the school’s Board of Regents ratified the agreement Wednesday. The three-year contract closes disparities in pay and working conditions between schools.
“Ratifying this contract is a historical moment for all of us,” Jontae Thomas, a mechanical trades chief at Bowie State University, said in a statement. “To have proper protocols and requirements in place for air quality, asbestos, heat, and more is a critical step in the right direction for the safety and well-being of workers across the university system.”
The contract establishes health and safety protocols around heat and air quality, along with a “right to know” policy in which the university has to notify workers of hazards, safety equipment and safety training.
University faculty can’t unionize under Maryland law. But employees who are part of AFSCME, such as information technology specialists, administrative assistants and custodians, were able to consolidate their collective bargaining agreement into a single contract after Maryland legislators changed the law in 2021.
The system previously had 16 individual contracts with its 12 schools.
Among the changes in the contract: Workers will receive 5 percent or more in pay increases, a longevity pay increase for at least five years of employment and the ability to donate sick time to other employees. Minimum wage will increase from $32,000 to $38,000 per year, about $18.22 an hour. Employees can receive call-back pay and accrue more annual leave.
The master agreement includes employees at Bowie State University; Coppin State University; Frostburg State University; the University of Baltimore; the University of Maryland, Baltimore; the University of Maryland, College Park; the University of Maryland, Baltimore County; the University of Maryland Eastern Shore; and the University of Maryland Global Campus.
©2024 Baltimore Sun. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
