AFSCME Local 1899 Wins $350K Payout for Stolen Wages and Overtime

Howard County School Workers Secure $350,000 in Back Pay After Arbitration Victory

In a decisive victory for labor rights, members of AFSCME Local 1899 have successfully secured nearly $350,000 in back pay from Howard County Schools. The compensation relates to improperly calculated overtime and emergency pay, marking a significant triumph for the workers.

It all began when employees noticed discrepancies in the calculation of weekend hours for overtime. Despite filing a grievance, the issue remained unresolved by Howard County Schools, prompting the matter to be taken to arbitration. An independent arbitrator sided with the workers, confirming that the school district had indeed violated labor laws and owed compensation.

Glenda Robertson, president of Local 1899 and lead custodian at Wilde Lake Middle School, expressed the significance of the win. “This was a huge, huge win for our Local 1899. We felt that HCPSS was wrong in how they were paying us, and the arbitrator agreed,” Robertson stated. “Hopefully this puts HCPSS on notice that we will not tolerate them wrongfully taking money from us.”

The arbitration victory also resulted in the clarification of emergency callback procedures. Now, all callbacks are categorized as emergencies, ensuring workers receive double their regular pay rate. This agreement further entitles workers to compensation for previous emergency callbacks that were not fairly compensated.

Patrick Moran, president of AFSCME Maryland Council 3, emphasized the importance of union contracts in such matters. “This is one of the many ways that a strong union contract makes a difference in people’s lives,” Moran remarked. “Workers at Howard County Schools are getting paid what is owed to them, and that wouldn’t be possible without a strong contract and grievance and arbitration process to hold employers accountable.”

Disbursements for both the overtime and emergency callback pay have already commenced, with more expected shortly. Meanwhile, Local 1899 members are currently negotiating a new contract set to take effect in July, focusing on fair pay and improved emergency callback policies.