Agreements reinforce State's commitment to workers during challenging economic times
ANNAPOLIS, MD — As we enter the new year, Governor Wes Moore is pleased to announce that the State has reached economic agreements with the vast majority of its public sector employee unions. The deal marks a significant milestone in ongoing efforts to support hardworking State employees while responsibly managing taxpayer resources during challenging economic times.
The State has reached economic agreements with the following unions:
- Maryland Professional Employees Council (MPEC)
- American Federation of Teachers – Healthcare (AFT-HC)
- American Federation of Teachers – Maryland School for the Deaf (AFT-MSD)
- State Law Enforcement Officers Labor Alliance (SLEOLA)
- Fraternal Order of Police – Maryland Transportation Authority (FOP-MDTA)
- International Association of Fire Fighters – BWI Firefighters (IAFF BWI)
“These economic agreements represent an important step and are the result of months-long good-faith negotiations, reflecting a shared commitment between the State and its labor partners,” said Gov. Moore. “Our goal has always been to balance fair compensation with fiscal discipline. At a time when families and governments are both facing real financial pressures, the State of Maryland is continuing to prioritize the employees who work in service of Marylanders every day.”
Economic agreements are negotiated guidelines between the State public sector unions that establish compensation, benefit, and other economic terms for the State's collective bargaining workforce. Memoranda of understanding are executed separately with each exclusive bargaining unit, which address protocol for personnel policy and day-to-day working conditions.
Collectively, the agreements provide the equivalent of an average 2 percent pay increase for more than 11,000 State workers, representing a $37 million investment in Maryland’s workforce.
The Moore-Miller Administration is committed to supporting State workers and partnering with labor unions to preserve negotiated annual pay increases for all unionized State employees. Governor Moore also signed the Fair Wage Act into law in February 2023, accelerating Maryland’s minimum wage increase to $15 per hour, two years ahead of schedule, increasing wages for approximately 163,000 workers across the State.
The administration has also worked in partnership to strengthen workplace safety protections for public employees, both in partnership with the Maryland General Assembly through the passage of the Davis Martinez Public Employee Safety and Health Act and through the historic, first-ever State Supervisors Memorandum of Understanding, which provides supervisors with full union protection and strengthens health and safety processes for State workers.
The State remains committed to reaching agreements with all employee organizations and looks forward to continuing discussions in the spirit of collaboration and transparency.
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