Fighting for Member Safety on the Job

City Union of Baltimore President Antoinette Ryan-Johnson met with Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby to discuss protections for members of the City Union of Baltimore. The issue at hand in this meeting was protection for Traffic Enforcement Officers (TEOs) and crossing guards. Members have come to President Ryan-Johnson with issues involving threatening and sometime violent altercations with citizens while doing their job. In an effort to bring relief to members, President Ryan-Johnson met with Baltimore’s highest prosecutor to get advice on how to bring justice to the perpetrators.

The meeting was a productive one as Mrs. Mosby and Chief Deputy State’s Attorney Michael Schatzow advised the CUB President on the best way to achieve her goals of protections for CUB members. AFT-Maryland Legislative Director Denise Riley was in attendance to note what legislative steps may be necessary to ensure protection to members.

Some of the stories that State’s Attorney Mosby heard from the experience of members working on behalf of the city were heartbreaking. President Ryan-Johnson described a TEO being assaulted via a punch to the face while they were doing their job. In another example, a crossing guard, in an effort to help a grandmother and her grandchild across the street, was threatened with a gun to the head.

These types of attacks on city employees are unacceptable and the City Union of Baltimore has and will continue to partner with law enforcement, legislators, and any other group or organization that will ensure safety to our members and return dignity to the work they do as agents of the city.

2018-08-15