Community Action Updates from Maryland's Senate and House: 

We need your help to get out the vote for the upcoming General Election! AFT-Maryland is coordinating volunteers to make phone calls Mondays through Thursdays and Saturdays until Nov. 3rd. Call to sign up for a shift!

We are also canvassing neighborhoods with Labor-to-Labor Door-to-Door walks, Wednesday evenings and Saturdays. We are union members talking to other union members, encouraging our brothers & sisters to come out to vote on November 4th.

Schedules and contact information are below. Come out and join us!

School Board member Lisa Bell deserves credit for observing that all education professionals are teachers. Bus drivers, food service workers, librarians, nurses, counselors and all school personnel play a role in educating students about something important. Regardless of your job title you are a teacher living up to the name of your union of professionals.

AFT Pennsylvania and the Philadelphia & Pittsburgh Federations are members of the governing body of the Campaign for Fair Education Funding, which kicked off efforts in the Capitol Rotunda on Monday, Oct. 6, to ensure every student has access to a quality education.

For more information click here

Click MORE for the latest update on the Rowland Layoff Settlement Discussions.

Health Care Open Enrollment
Deadline October 10, 2014

All teachers must sign a new Benefit Statement/Enrollment Form for health care coverage for 2015 (effective January 1).  Jim Kwon is visiting sites and collecting this documentation. Note that your new premiums will be effective in your December paycheck for a January start date. 

Here's some of what we're reading this week. More below the jump...

For more news clips, visit md.aft.org/news.

AFT-Maryland, along with the Baltimore Teachers Union, Maryland Communities United, and the Center for Popular Democracy will be hosting a rally to promote and advocate widespread support for community schools.

Throughout Baltimore, Community Schools are transforming public education. Community Schools are rooted in their local communities. Building innovative partnerships with non-profits, city agencies, and businesses, Community Schools multiply public resources to bring top-quality academics, services, and programs to ensure children are physically, emotionally, and socially prepared to learn. For the press release, click here.

Update regarding Hartford HealthCare negotiations with Anthem.

The State Comptroller’s office has reported that Anthem and Hartford HealthCare have settled their dispute, there should be no disruption in services or coverage for employees who utilize Hartford Hospital and its related entities.

News release from Comptroller Kevin Lembo's Office

Joint release from Anthem and Hartford Healthcare