Afscme

Representatives of Local 354 of AFSCME (American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees) recently attended a two-day political workshop/conference at the Maritime Institute in Linthicum Heights, Md., hosted by PEOPLE (Public Employees Organized to Promote Legislative Equality). Attending were Local 354 President Freida Forrest, Vice President Sam Tracy and local members Jenny Morgan and Linda Powell. While there, they met with Maryland Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr., D-Prince George's; gubernatorial candidate Doug Duncan, Montgomery County executive; and Del. Anthony Brown, D-Prince George's, who is Baltimore Mayor Martin O'Malley's running mate in this year's Democratic gubernatorial primary.

By STEVEN T. DENNIS Staff Writer The Washington County Commissioners' labor attorney on Wednesday urged the commissioners to rule on their own charge that the union representing about 85 county roads, landfill and bus workers had engaged in an unfair labor practice. Baltimore attorney Frank Kollman also asked the commissioners to order the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees to pay some of the county's legal fees. Kollman said the union had repeatedly violated the state law that the union fought to have enacted this year after the commissioners voted to decertify the union.

YOUTH BASKETBALL Hagerstown Junior League FOP 40, AFSCME 21 FOP Fleetwood 11, Wilt 8, Davis 6, Kinter 6, McKoy 7, Drury 2. AFSCME Scott-Coles 8, Linton 4, Wynne 3, Greene 2, Smidlein 2, Seibert 2. R&R 35, Jerry's 22 ROBINSON & ROBINSON Louderback 13, Scott 11, Bey 6, Myers 2, Abbott 2, LeGore 1. JERRY'S Weedon 9, Rajaphilly 6, Kamara 3, Johnson 2, Rowland 2.

AFSCME needs to respond to uniformed employee needs To the editor: It would seem that AFSCME of Maryland believes that it has to present a presence to justify its existence. Who the Department of Corrections hires for what position should not be the focus of a state employee association unless a complaint is filed.   Patrick Moran (director of AFSCME of Maryland) should direct his association's focus on the issues that directly affect the workers of the state.

Nonunion state employees would be forced to join a union and pay dues under a bill being considered in the Maryland General Assembly. The bill would be unfair to state employees in Washington County, said Del. Christopher B. Shank, including the 1,652 employees working in the prison complex south of Hagerstown. Mark A. Vernarelli, spokesman for the Maryland Department of Public Safety & Correctional Services, said the department does not track how many of those employees belong to a union.

HAGERSTOWN -- Another of the Roxbury Correctional Institution officers fired amid excessive-force allegations in March 2008 saw his termination reversed by an administrative law judge's decision, a spokeswoman for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) said Wednesday. The date of the administrative law judge's decision was not known, AFSCME spokeswoman Maureen O'Connor said. The officers who were fired in March 2008 were not named, therefore, The Herald-Mail is not naming the officer who was reinstated.

ANNAPOLIS -- A debate over whether nonunion state employees should be forced to join a union turned into a battle over votes on the budget Monday. Del. Christopher B. Shank, R-Washington, criticized what is being called the "Fair Share" bill, saying it amounted to taxation without representation for the state employees who would be assessed a fee without the benefits of membership such as representation when filing grievances and being able to participate in the negotiation process.

By GUY FLETCHER Staff Writer A union that represents many correctional officers and other state workers in Maryland is challenging the validity of elections that gave another labor organization the right to bargain for wages and other benefits for thousands of state employees. The Maryland Classified Employees Association (MCEA) is seeking an injunction against implementation of the results of four of the elections won by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME)

As state government employees near a new contract agreement in Maryland, a Washington County state senator is criticizing the union that negotiated the deal. Sen. Christopher B. Shank, R-Washington, Thursday accused the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees of being "duplicitous" and not clearly explaining a mandatory fee contained in a tentative state contract agreement. Shank said the "service fee" AFSCME will receive from state employees — even those who don't belong to the union — is buried in "double speak" in a list of the contract's highlights.

CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. ? The Chambersburg Borough Council on Monday approved a contract for its blue-collar unionized workers and set the 2008 wage increases for those employees not represented by a union. The approximately 80 members of the American Federation of State County and Municipal Employees local that work for the borough will get a 4 percent wage increase each year of the five-year contract. The increase is in line with the current contracts with the unions representing the police and firefighters, borough solicitor Thomas Finucane said.

AFSCME needs to respond to uniformed employee needs To the editor: It would seem that AFSCME of Maryland believes that it has to present a presence to justify its existence. Who the Department of Corrections hires for what position should not be the focus of a state employee association unless a complaint is filed.   Patrick Moran (director of AFSCME of Maryland) should direct his association's focus on the issues that directly affect the workers of the state.

Several months ago — or maybe it was last week (at this age, the mind plays tricks) — Washington County Public Schools was all abuzz about bullying. I don’t remember the particulars, obviously, but I think the school board was against it. I’m sure they tossed around words like “awareness” and “empowerment” and “stakeholders.” They’re big on stakeholders. At the time, I didn’t get all that fired up over the issue one way or another.

All that “choose civility” idealism we’ve been hearing so much about lately appears to have been lost on some of our best and brightest. A case in point was this recent report from Annapolis: “Sen. Christopher B. Shank, R-Washington, accused the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees of being ‘duplicitous’ and not clearly explaining a mandatory fee contained in a tentative state contract agreement. Shank said the ‘service fee’ AFSCME will receive from state employees — even those who don’t belong to the union — is buried in ‘double speak’ in a list of the contract’s highlights.

“In World War II, it took 90 days to train an officer. The Pentagon has just announced that it will take 11 months to implement the repeal of ‘Don’t ask, don’t tell.’ Does this make sense?” — Chambersburg, Pa. “That person that put the picture in near Salem Avenue School, about the people illegally parked and whatnot, the police ought to drive by sometime, with all this snow. People are still parking illegally. This is a sad joke.

As state government employees near a new contract agreement in Maryland, a Washington County state senator is criticizing the union that negotiated the deal. Sen. Christopher B. Shank, R-Washington, Thursday accused the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees of being "duplicitous" and not clearly explaining a mandatory fee contained in a tentative state contract agreement. Shank said the "service fee" AFSCME will receive from state employees — even those who don't belong to the union — is buried in "double speak" in a list of the contract's highlights.

HAGERSTOWN -- Another of the Roxbury Correctional Institution officers fired amid excessive-force allegations in March 2008 saw his termination reversed by an administrative law judge's decision, a spokeswoman for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) said Wednesday. The date of the administrative law judge's decision was not known, AFSCME spokeswoman Maureen O'Connor said. The officers who were fired in March 2008 were not named, therefore, The Herald-Mail is not naming the officer who was reinstated.

"It's high time a traffic light was installed at the intersection of Stotler Road and Halfway Boulevard. We are told that the tractor-trailers coming up the hill cannot stop at a light because of a loss of momentum. Sheer baloney. The people exiting Lakeside Park are taking their lives in their hands every time they try to go east or west with trailer drivers too lazy to change gears. " - Hagerstown "I have mixed feelings about the speed cameras, but I have made up my mind I will try and pressure our elected officials into OK'ing use of speed cameras, especially in school areas.

In the Maryland General Assembly session just passed, it wasn't the multi-billion dollar budget that caused the most controversy, but some smaller bills that could potentially affect citizens every day. The first, the speed-camera bill, would authorize placing monitoring cameras near schools and in highway work zones. The second, known as the "Fair Share" bill, would require all state workers to pay union dues, whether or not they're union members. The speed-camera bill mandates that those whose vehicles are traveling more than 12 miles above the posted limit be mailed a $40 ticket.