History

In 2007, Governor Martin O'Malley signed an executive order granting bargaining rights to approximately 4,600 home health aides (PCAs).
http://www.governor.maryland.gov/executiveorders/01.01.07.15HomeCareProviders.pdf

This executive order was codified by legislation (HB 171) passed and signed into law in 2011.
http://www.afscme.org/blog/maryland-home-care-providers-bargaining-rights-become-law

In 2010, AFSCME and Governor O'Malley reached an agreement for their first contract. In this first contract, providers didn't receive any health insurance, nearly half the providers wouldn't even see a raise in rates, and the 2,500 providers who were set to get a small 4% raise had to wait to see if the legislature would approve funding. It is unclear if the funding for the increase was ever approved. Dues were set at $300 per year.

In January of 2013, the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene released a report to the legislature discussing the impact unionization had on the home health care program. At the time the report was released, the department had not seen an impact, positive or negative.
http://dlslibrary.state.md.us/publications/Exec/DHMH/HB171Ch171(4)(2011)_2013.pdf


Even though AFSCME exclusively represents nearly 4,000 home health aides, as of January 2013, only 1,434 have actually joined the union as full members. That's only about 37%. This means approximately 2,500 home health aides, the majority of the bargaining unit, are exclusively represented by an organization they do not want to belong to.

Basic Facts

Union:  AFSCME
Dues:  $25 per month
Fair Share: Yes
Health Insurance: NO
Contract: Ratified, unclear if funding was appropriated.