AFSCME Local 3399 Secures New Wage Agreement Through Direct Action with Community Support

Dec. 14, 2021

Takoma Park, MD – After more than nine months of negotiations, members of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3399 approved a new agreement with the City of Takoma Park over wages for the 2021-22 fiscal year.

“After many months of stalled negotiations, we are proud that our members’ direct action campaign has delivered some much-needed and deserved economic relief for our members,” Local 3399 President Sean Hendley said. “We also want to thank local residents and other supporters who contacted the Takoma Park City Council and stood by us along the way.”

Local 3399 represents more than 90 city workers, including public works employees, police dispatchers, librarians, crossing guards, gardeners, planners, recreation and arts program organizers, and some other city staff.

Signed on Dec. 14, 2021, the agreement addresses the long fight for fair wages with union members receiving a 3% wage increase, retroactive to July 1, 2021. All members also received a $2,500 bonus, and public works employees and police dispatchers will receive an additional $3,400 bonus from American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) federal funds for risking their health and safety as frontline workers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Earlier this year, city management offered only a 1.8% wage increase to all city employees. Local 3399 members rejected this offer, and as a direct result of our public campaign, we secured record gains that benefitted not only our members but also police union members and unrepresented employees.

“When city workers join with local residents, we can make real improvements that have positive impacts on the lives of city workers and their families,” Hendley said. “We hope the community will continue to support us as we begin negotiations again in a few months over wages and other important issues for the next fiscal year. We also will keep advocating for an ARPA bonus for our members who reported in person during the pandemic but who didn’t receive a bonus because of a rigid definition of frontline employees. We hope that we have turned a new page in our working relationship with city management and the Takoma Park City Council.”