MCEA History

Founded On March 3, 1935 by a group of State workers motivated to protect the merit system from political patronage Incorporated Feb. 24, 1936 Brought about accumulated sick leave law, paid vacation and "temporary" pension plan Established health and accident insurance Introduced pension issue in General Assembly in 1939 Back to top

Secured passage of pension bill for 9,000 State workers Won several pay raises and bonuses Won five-day workweek Gained Worker's Compensation for all State employees Back to top

Led effort to establish the State Employees Credit Union Won pay increases for State workers Won standard 40-hour workweek Back to top

Won longevity pay plan Won pay raises for State workers Investigated collective bargaining concept in 1968 Won 20 days vacation for 20-year employees Won night pay differential Gained increase in pension benefits Welcomed first county chapter Back to top

Proposed Martin Luther King Jr. holiday Won 3 personal leave days Attained five-step grievance procedure Secured passage of 25-year retirement plan Won 90 percent reduction in employee contributions to health plans Earned agreement from State to allow sick leave for pregnancy, childbirth and recovery Back to top

Provided first dental plan to State employees Won reclassification of thousands of State workers Won additional on-the-job protections for Correctional Officers and other public safety personnel Won county collective bargaining elections Blocked attempts to privatize State job Back to top

Won State employee pay raises Blocked 585% increase in health insurance premiums Sued State over extended workweek without pay Won early retirement benefits for State, county, and university employees Introduced FREE protection package and suspension benefits to MCEA members Won significant increases to pension benefits Defeated bill to authorize collective bargaining service fees Back to top

Introduced computer training benefit for MCEA members Won legislation granting bargaining rights to university employees Won legal action (Court of Appeals) to reaffirm the 30-day rule which requires that a State agency must investigate, meet with the employee, consider mitigating circumstances, and impose any disciplinary action within 30 days of learning of alleged misconduct, or rescind the disciplinary action. Won collective bargaining rights to represent sworn police officers at Frostburg State, Salisbury, and Bowie State Universities, and non-exempt employees at SU and the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science. Negotiated contracts for university bargaining units Back to top