Maryland public defenders vote to join state workers’ union

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Maryland public defenders have voted to unionize after a two-year effort.

Workers at the Maryland Office of the Public Defender, which employs more than 600 people, voted Tuesday to certify AFSCME Maryland Council 3 as their exclusive bargaining representative. The union says one bargaining unit will consist of administrative and support staff, and another bargaining unit will consist of intake staff, investigators, social workers and attorneys. The two bargaining units span the entire state in 12 different districts.

In legislative session earlier this year, lawmakers passed legislation to expand collective bargaining rights to employees in the public defenders office.

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