State employee’s unhappy with Hogan over contract talks

Tension is growing over contract negotiations between Gov. Larry Hogan and Maryland’s union workers. Tuesday was supposed to be another deliberation meeting, but the state cancelled Monday, less than 24 hours before the scheduled meeting.

“I just feel let down by the governor,” said Anissa Sessoms, a Worcester County employee.

That sentiment is echoed by a number of Maryland state employees, hoping a new contract will mean more money.

After a protest this summer, asking the Governor to support families, negotiations started on October 7.

Since then, there have been three such meetings, but the state also cancelled three.

Jeff Pittman, spokesperson for the American federation of state, county and municipal employees (AFSCME), the union that is negotiating on behalf of the state workers said, “Hogans administration said we’re not prepared to respond to any of the proposals.”

47 ABC reached out to a spokesperson with governor Hogan’s office, Doug Mayer, who at the moment could not say why the meeting was cancelled.

But added that the Hogan administration is continuing to negotiate in good faith and is confident an agreement will be reached that is beneficial to both sides.

In light of the recently cancelled meeting, state union employees have taken to social media to vent their frustration, a picture of Hogan’s face superimposed on a picture of the Grinch.

Mayer called this an interesting negotiating tactic and said he is surprised union workers are talking to the media, since both sides had agreed to keep contract talks out of the news.

Right now details concerning what the state employees want or what the proposals entail remain undisclosed per an agreement between the two sides.

But state employees admit, a raise is at the heart of this. even a minimal one, is something they are due.

They’re especially fired up since Hogan took away the 1 percent raise that was awarded to them under the last year of the O’Malley administration.

“We deserve (a raise), it’s not what we want and we want that it’s true, but we deserve and we earn every penny and everything we’re asking for and there’s nothing that we’re asking for that’s so over the hills that we shouldn’t get it,” said Deborah Williams, an AFSCME member.

The deadline for having a contract in place is December 31, that way the new contract could be worked in to next years budget.

This contract would be an add on to an existing contract the state employees have that lasts until December 2017.

If a new contract is not reached by the December deadline, we’re told negotiations will still continue.

Regardless of whether a contract agreement is reached, we’re told there is no risk that state employees will go on strike.