SALISBURY, Md. -- The Salisbury City Council approved a charter amendment on Monday night which will give city employees collective bargaining rights. City employees will now have the option to organize through employee organizations of their choosing. The measure was unanimously approved by a vote of 5-0.
There is currently no State law in Maryland that ensures or allows government employees to organize. To make sure employees will have the right to do so in the future, the City of Salisbury made collective bargaining agreements part of its municipal code.
"By codifying the rights to organize and bargain as a collective, we've made it far more difficult for them to be rolled back by future administrations," said Julia Glanz.
Glanz, the City Administrator, added that this move shows how important those employees are to the city of Salisbury.
"When showed alongside our pay predictability and career ladder initiatives, I think it shows that our employees mean the world to us," said Glanz.
Mayor Jake Day added that unions are a crucial part of a successful workplace, and that this move comes at an economically opportune time.
"I've always believed in the efficacy and importance of unions in the workplace," said Mayor Day. "Giving our employees more control over their pay and working conditions is the right thing to do, and it makes us even more attractive to job applicants at a time when the market is saturated with available positions.
City Council President Jack Heath echoed Mayor Day's thoughts about the importance of unions, and says employee safety should be the number one priority.
"We want every employee to feel like they can speak up if they see something that can be done better or more safely," said Heath. "Collective bargaining amplifies those concerns, and helps ensure that they're addressed."
This move does open the door for government employees to negotiate terms of their employment, or even go to arbitration. However, it does not allow for strikes or work stoppages. Mayor Day says this move had to be one that was beneficial to everyone, and the city feels like that has been accomplished.