Labor & Employment (Collective Bargaining)

SB 6 would extend collective bargaining rights to nontenure track faculty at Maryland's public universities, including the University System of Maryland, Morgan State University, and St. Mary’s College of Maryland. The bill creates a separate bargaining unit for these faculty members - defined as full-time, part-time, or adjunct employees with academic responsibilities like teaching or research - removing them from the previous exclusion under "faculty" in collective bargaining rules. It amends state law to require each institution to establish this distinct unit alongside other employee groups, ensuring nontenure track faculty can negotiate wages, hours, and working conditions. The law would take effect on July 1, 2026.

SB 253 authorizes supervisory employees at Baltimore County Public Library to form unions, join collective bargaining efforts, and participate in related activities. It reclassifies certain supervisory staff as "management employees" if they exercise independent judgment (e.g., resolving grievances or making hiring decisions beyond routine tasks), rather than automatically excluding them from unionization. The bill establishes two fixed bargaining units: one for non-supervisory staff and one for supervisory staff, while preserving existing union agreements in place before June 30, 2026. This change directly affects library supervisors who may now engage in collective bargaining under specific conditions.