Please contact your legislators asking their support of Fairness in  Negotiations Act  SB 673/HB 1243.  Presently, the BOE is required to abide by "binding arbitration" with regard to grievances.  This means if the BOE & WCEA can not agree on how to decide an disputed issue, we pick an agreed upon arbitrator. We each pay half.  This arbitrator (there are actually companies that provide this service) has nothing to do with Wicomico County.  They are attorneys whose expertise is in contractual law.  Both the BOE & WCEA must, by law, abide by the arbitrator's decision.  This is the process we have for grievances filed regarding our negotiated agreement. We have no such protection regarding negotiating a contract.  In other words, if the BOE decides they don't want something in the contract, it stays out.  We can go to impasse.  However, if the two sides continue to disagree the issue ends up at MSDE.  Do I have to tell you who wins?  Even if we win, the BOE still has the legal right to say, "That's too bad.  We still don't want it in the contract."  and it is out.  This totally unfair situation is imposed ONLY on public school teachers; not university professors, state policemen, secretaries who work for the state.  Only public school teachers.  That is ridiculous!  We are not ensured passage.  We need to communicate with our lawmakers.  Click on the hyperlinks below to contact your legislators ....

Appointed by Senate President:
Thomas M. Middleton, Chair (410) 841-3616, (301) 858-3616
John C. Astle, Vice-Chair (410) 841-3578, (301) 858-3578                                     

Appointed by House Speaker:
Sheila E. Hixson, Chair (410) 841-3469, (301) 858-3469
Ann Marie Doory, Vice-Chair (410) 841-3476, (301) 858-3476

Joseph R. Bartlett	C. William Frick	Anne R. Kaiser	Justin D. Ross
Kumar P. Barve	Ronald A. George	Peter F. Murphy	Christopher B. Shank
Joseph C. Boteler III	James W. Gilchrist	LeRoy E. Myers, Jr.	Melvin L. Stukes
Jon S. Cardin	Carolyn J. B. Howard	John A. Olszewski, Jr.	Frank S. Turner
D. Page Elmore	Jolene Ivey	Craig L. Rice	Jay Walker

DISTRICT 37 Sen. Richard F. Colburn (R), District 37 James Senate Office Building, Room 315 11 Bladen St., Annapolis, MD 21401 (410) 841-3590 e-mail: richard.colburn@senate.state.md.us Del. Rudolph C. Cane (D), District 37A House Office Building, Room 364 6 Bladen St., Annapolis, MD 21401 (410) 841-3427 e-mail: rudolph.cane@house.state.md.us Del. Adelaide C. Eckardt (R), District 37B House Office Building, Room 213 6 Bladen St., Annapolis, MD 21401 (410) 841-3343 e-mail: adelaide.eckhardt@house.state.md.us Del. Jeannie Haddaway (R), District 37B House Office Building, Room 216 6 Bladen St., Annapolis, MD 21401 (410) 841-3429 e-mail: jeannie.haddaway@house.state.md.us

DISTRICT 38 Sen. J. Lowell Stoltzfus (R), District 38 James Senate Office Building, Room 323 11 Bladen St., Annapolis, MD 21401 (410) 841-3645 e-mail: lowell.stoltzfus@senate.state.md.us Del. D. Page Elmore (R), District 38A House Office Building, Room 216 6 Bladen St., Annapolis, MD 21401 (410) 841-3343 e-mail: page.elmore@house.state.md.us Del. Norman H. Conway (D), District 38B House Office Building, Room 121 6 Bladen St., Annapolis, MD 21401 (410) 841-3407 e-mail: norman.conway@house.state.md.us Del. James N. Mathias, Jr. (D), District 38B House Office Building, Room 307 6 Bladen St., Annapolis, MD 21401 (410) 841-3431 e-mail: james.mathias@house.state.md.us