Howard Community College and United Academics of Maryland (UAMD), a union representing the college’s full-time faculty, have reached a tentative agreement for their first-ever union contract.
The union contract is not official until the faculty votes to ratify it on Aug. 22. Full-time faculty received a 4% cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) in the tentative deal, according to multiple sources familiar with the agreement.
“The United Academics of Maryland at Howard Community College are elated to announce a historic tentative agreement with the HCC administration that protects job security and ensures that faculty have a seat at the table,” the faculty said in a statement to Baltimore Fishbowl.
“Negotiations were hard-fought, but faculty were able to secure big wins, not just for union members, but a $3500 bonus for all full-time employees at the College. Union members will vote to ratify our first contract later this month. This is a historic moment and demonstrates that organized people will continue to win, and we look forward to carrying this momentum forward and building worker power across Community Colleges in Maryland.”
HCC released a statement on Monday, saying in part, “We are aware of a statement from the American Federation of Teachers representing full-time faculty at Howard Community College, regarding active negotiations for its first collectively bargained contract … We await the formal results of the faculty who will vote to ratify tentative agreements, and for the HCC Board of Trustees to soon have the same opportunity for review and approval.”
Specific details about the tentative contract cannot be shared until it’s ratified, but UAMD said it includes:
- Enhanced working conditions
- Increased shared governance with HCC
- A clear disciplinary policy
- Job security
- A defined workload to prevent administrative tasks from taking over teaching responsibilities
“This agreement is a testament to the hard work and commitment of our faculty,” said UAMD-HCC Chapter Chair and Associate Professor at Howard Community College Nadene Vevea. “After tough negotiations, we have secured vital advancements that not only recognize the contributions of our educators but also lay a foundation for a stronger academic environment at Howard Community College.”
The deal comes after 565 days of negotiations, including a July 28 rally on HCC’s campus. At the rally, English professor Tim Bruno told Baltimore Fishbowl the two sides were close to a deal.
“Some of those proposals were sitting on their side for over a year,” he said. “We could, in fact, be done right now, except the administration has decided to dig in their heels about things like faculty pay, health benefits…”
One day before the rally, HCC President Daria Willis and the college’s Board of Trustees announced they would give “eligible” full-time faculty a 4% COLA, along with a “one-time, performance-based merit payment” of $3,500 for Fiscal Year 2026. Bruno said the offer stemmed from an earlier proposal and was the administration’s attempt to “get ahead of the story.”
A spokesperson for Howard Community College told Baltimore Fishbowl at the time, “We continue to bargain in good faith with AFT and look forward to reaching full agreement on our first negotiated contract.” They went on to say the union and HCC agreed upon COLA and “merit increases mirroring those given to non-bargaining unit employees” last fiscal year.
The proposed 4% COLA, which now remains unchanged in the tentative agreement, is the college’s best offer on the table, said County Councilmember Deb Jung.
Jung represents the district containing HCC and said the college “never stepped up with their salary negotiations.”
“I am pretty sure that the administration did hear the variety of people who spoke at that rally, and our very strong message to the administration to respect the faculty,” she said on Monday. “I hope that the future negotiations will bring both better salaries and continue to improve upon working conditions.”
UAMD is an affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT-Maryland). They helped negotiate Fredrick Community College’s first collective bargaining agreement earlier this summer. FCC secured a 9.5% COLA.
“This tentative agreement is a monumental leap forward in improving faculty working conditions at Howard Community College and for the broader movement to strengthen higher education in Maryland,” said AFT Maryland President Kenya Campbell. “Faculty at Howard Community College stood together to demand better, and this tentative agreement delivers not only for them but also builds momentum for the fight for all community college faculty statewide.”
AFT-Maryland also helped resident physicians and fellows at the University of Maryland Medical Center secure a 20% pay raise in their first-ever union contract last week.
“Unions are critical to a successful workplace, and I would love to see our unions successful in Howard County,” Jung said. “I think [UAMD] probably learned a lot of lessons through this whole process too, and I would imagine that the AFT helped them tremendously.”
