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History of Local 2250

Introduction

ACE-AFSCME Local 2250  is recognized as the strongest and most politically active AFSCME Local around the state of Maryland.  Local 2250  has a long history and tradition of negotiating and winning positive gains for its members. 

Local 2250 has won many substantial  benefits that rank its members among the highest paid school employees in their classification in the state of Maryland.

 

September 1972

ACE/AFSCME agrees to delay work action plan after Board and County Executive assure union they would try to come up with additional monies to give classified employees a 3% raise that other County employees received. Strong support from membership caused the Board and County to reconsider availability of funds.

July 1, 1973

Local 2250's first negotiated contract goes into effect. Union was recognized as sole bargaining agent for all classified employees except the custodial department which chose the International Brotherhood of Firemen and Oilers, Local 400, in a representation election. Local 2250 has the distinction of being the first non-teaching school employee organization to achieve collective bargaining rights in the state of Maryland.

1973-1974

Local 2250 negotiates a 7-step salary scale for all transportation employees (previously 3-step for aides, 6-step for drivers, 5-step for driver trainers) meaning an additional 5%increase for those at top scale in addition to an overall 5.1% increase for all employees. Field trips compensated at a 3-hour minimum and all employees received an additional 2 days sick leave. Sick leave could now be used for disability related to pregnancy and the Board increases its share of health premiums to 70%. Binding arbitration was added to the grievance procedure and bus drivers/aides start a seniority policy.

May 25, 1972 2,000 sign carrying County employees attend Prince George's County Council Budget Hearings demanding a cost-of-living increase. Average salary at the time was $5,000 per year. They were led by Local 2250 as part of the Coalition of Concerned County Employees.

1975

After passage of state law, union pressures Board to negotiate the state's first agency shop for public school employees. (Agency shop means that employees covered by the contract but not union members must pay a representation fee to the union which then represents all employees.)

January 1975

Union wins grievance for bus drivers/aides who had not received overtime pay of time and a half for over 40 hours of work. All drivers/aides worked in excess of 40 hours got retroactive pay from September 1974 through January 6, 1975 and any future overtime would be paid in appropriate pay.

Union got the Board to agree to eliminate the Open Lunch program at County high schools. 2250 cited the loss of jobs and hours for cafeteria employees.

September 1975

School bus drivers/aides object through union representatives to a Board plan to pay strictly by the hour violating the contract which provided for 22 prorated equal pay checks. Possible results of new pay plan would be no checks over Christmas holidays and a possible reduction in overall annual salary. The drivers/aides won the dispute and in addition got the Board to correct the current seniority lists by having each driver/aide confirm his or her seniority date along with the foremen and union rep. Also, drivers/aides would choose routes and hours and be assigned buses by seniority. The Board also agreed to ask principals to back up the drivers on discipline.

February 24, 1971 600 employees hold demonstration outside Board of Education meeting to demand their right to fully negotiate a contract. They carry signs saying "Negotiate Now!" and wore "Dignity" buttons in response to their "second-class" position. The Board agrees to support legislation which would grant its classified employees collective bargaining rights.

June 1976

Local 2250 negotiates for an optical/prescription plan and a guaranteed number of work days for 10-month employees as well as salary and other improvements.

October 6, 1976

Local 2250 wins a class action suit filed on September 21, 1976 on behalf of 203 members whose Special Unemployment Assistant (SUA) claims had been denied because they had used the telephone to actively seek employment.  Each member then became eligible retroactively to receive unemployment benefits from the summer of 1976.  (By law, we are no longer eligible for SUA benefits.) 

ACE-AFSCME asks for PEOPLE check-off from Board so that members can contribute money to support candidates who support public employees.  Approved for the 1978-1979 school year.

Union participates in setting up accident review committee.  Old way consisted of one supervisor reviewing all accidents and making decision.  Review board consists of supervisor, driver trainer, driver, union rep and a chairperson, a safety officer, and State guidelines are followed to determine preventability.

Central Garage Reps begin monthly meetings with management to work out problems. 

Fall 1977

Local 2250 instrumental in influencing Board's decision not to contract out trash collection.

January 1978

Superintendent Feeney accepts petition of 100 bus drivers/aides to donate one day each of sick leave to help out Greenbelt driver, "Buddy" Thomas, who suffered a stroke on the bus.  (Forerunner to sick leave bank)

Union files field trip grievance because management was paying field trip rate for athletic trips. Union wins.

April 1978

Hundreds of 2250 members travel to State legislature in Annapolis to visit the Prince George's County delegation to oppose pension bill that would significantly reduce benefits. Bill defeated by House of Delegates.  Hundreds of letters were also sent.

Governor Marvin Mandel signs a local bill granting PG County School supporting services personnel the right to collective bargaining with the Prince George's County Public Schools Board of Education for wages, hours, and conditions of employment.. Seated: William James, Pres. of the Senate; the Governor; Thomas Hunter Lowe, Speaker of the House. Standing: Peter J. Moralis, AFSCME International Area Director; Harold T. Shaw, AFSCME International Representative; James A. Shearer, ACE-AFSCME Local 2250 Executive Director; Delegate Frederick C. Rummage (Democrat, Third District); Ferd Cardano, Education Assoc. legislative leader; Michael W. Mooney, President of ACE-AFSCME Local 2250.

July 1, 1978

Membership approves sick leave bank and dental plan replacing old income protection plan.

October 1978

Over 2,000 join the sick leave bank.

Fall 1978

Union files and wins grievance on behalf of a sick bank member because Board, contrary to agreement with union, says employees would be in a leave of absence status when they use the bank rather than on sick leave thereby having to pay the Board's share of health premiums while out.

Employee Assistance Program (EAP) set up to deal with employee problems confidentially.

Reprinted from May 1979 ACE-AFSCME Reporter The March On Marlboro, May 1979, was a successful protest effort by 11 county employee unions - including Local 2250 - opposed to County Executive Hogan's budget.

February 1979

County Executive Hogan proposes elimination 120 health aides saying secretaries could do the job.  200 health aides meet to discuss action.

May 1979

Public Employees Coalition calls for work-to-rule action which is endorsed by Local 2250 due to Hogan's call for 3% increase for County employees despite negotiated agreement for a higher increase.  1,000 County employees march on County Administration Building to protest Hogan's budget and potential loss of jobs for health aides, secretaries and printers.

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The 1980's: Solidarity Reigns

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March 31, 1981

Cafeteria employees hold special meeting to discuss how to fight Reagan budget cuts to school lunch programs.

September 1981

Many Local 2250 member march with thousands of AFSCME members from around the country at massive Solidarity Day march in Washington, DC.

Harold T. Shaw at the Solidarity Day march in DC

1981

Union files grievance on behalf of bus drivers after School Superintendent Feeney forbids principals from hiring bus drivers for field trips if they drive more than 8 hours.  The new regulations would have allowed outside contractors to fill in if the principal could not find a driver.  Federal regulations allow drivers to operate a passenger vehicle for 10hours/day of actual driving time and an additional 5 hours/day on duty but not driving equaling 70 hours in 8 days.  The union won the grievance.

August 18, 1982

Membership agrees to delay scheduled July 1, 1982 pay increase until April 1983 to save 300 members' jobs.  County Executive Glendening then agrees in April 1983 to pay increase retroactively to January 1, 1983

September 18, 1982

Local 2250 wins back hours that had been cut for Chapter 1 aides.

April 10, 1984

Local 2250 along with other employee organizations files class action suit to challenge constitutionality of proposed new retirement system.

July 1984

New pay grade (Grade 05, Salary Table 100) contained in negotiated agreement for instructional aides with 60 hours college credit.

July 1987

Board attempted to reduce cafeteria hours.  A modified agreement was reached which resulted in a very limited staffing change. 

School Board votes 6-3 to support union over School Superintendent that under our negotiated agreement we had the right to binding arbitration for disciplinary matters. Arbitrator in a termination case also decided in our favor and as a result, a fired employee was reinstated with full back pay.

September 30, 1987

Over 300 school secretaries meet over inadequate staffing, taking work home and having to come in early.  Union successful in getting an additional $400,000 to fund health aides and school secretaries.  Secretaries also met with Superintendent of Schools and School Board and attended County Council meetings.

1989 - Pictured here are Tony Inquanti (auxiliary bus driver) and Carol Inquanti, with their daughter, Tracy, who is receiving and AFSCME scholarship from Local 2250 President Mike Mooney.

February 1988

Union initiates legislation which would reduce an employee's taxable income by the amount of the employee's pension contribution.  In 1986, union persuaded state legislature to submit such an employee "pick-up" plan to IRS.  

No loss of staff and a restoration of lost hours was the result of union negotiations with Food Service Administration at Langley-McCormick Elementary

April 1988

School secretaries continue to fight by meeting with all nine School Board members separately and attending County Council meetings to raise issues mentioned above. 

September 1988

Union Privilege Benefit Program offered to all members at no cost which includes a low cost Master Card, access to reduced fee legal services, reduced fee travel service program, and life insurance 

December 1989

AFSCME Local 2 735 and 2462 representing Prince George's County Department of Public Works thank 2250 for voluntarily withdrawing from County snow removal training programs causing County to cancel them.  Continued participation of our members in the program would have cost 2735 and 2462 overtime pay and their members were expected to train our members.  

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The 1990's: Contracting Out is OUT!

(Back to top) Local 2250 members prepare to march at Solidarity Day II in September 1991 in Washington D.C. 

March 1990 

Due to efforts of Local 2250 and PGCEA in holding meetings with Representative "Buzz" Ryan, HB206 was killed in Annapolis.  It would have limited the County's ability to give pay raises to County employees and would have penalized the County if it used state funds to do so. 

April 11, 1990

AFSCME sponsored bill with significant 2250 support passes legislature giving bus drivers an extension up to six months to pass new CDL test

1990

New contract includes wage increases, optional 26-pay period for 10-month employees, stipend increase for satellite lunch program employees, increase in tool allotment for Central Garage, maintenance employees will now receive a tool allowance, one additional longevity step for each salary schedule and an increase in field trip rate.  And most importantly, NO CONTRACTING OUT for life of 4-year contract.

1994

Contract extended for 3 years with 4% wage increase over life of contract, continued use of PONY mail (which Board had tried to take away) and NO CONTRACTING OUT  for life of contract.

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Comments from members

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