• The 1.7 million member American Federation of Teachers (AFT) includes  healthcare, K-12, higher education, and public employees.

• AFT Nurses and Health Professionals = AFT’s healthcare division

  • It is one of  the largest and fastest growing healthcare unions in the US

  • Membership includes 200,000 healthcare employees representing a wide category of professions including attending, fellow, and resident physicians, PAs, NPs, CRNAs, RNs, Nurse Midwives, Respiratory Therapists, Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists, and many more.

If you are a UMRFA member, you are also an AFT member. And at the AFT, we have our own marketplace—AFT+ Member Benefits— which combines the purchasing power of the AFT’s 1.7 million members with the benefit offerings of Union Plus, the AFL-CIO’s benefit arm. This gives you a rich array of discounts, services, and benefits that go beyond the workplace. Many of these programs are available to family members, too!

• This gives you access to everything from discounted work shoes,‍ airfare, hotels, movie tickets, and concert/sport tickets to free trauma counseling to student loan assistance platform access to pet insurance!

• Visit: www.aft.org/member-benefits for information about insurance, finance counseling, debt management, moving services, discounts, and more!

• members.aft.org is your sign-in portal for AFT members-only benefits

• Trouble finding your AFT Member ID? AFT can help here. Just let them know our local number is 05161

• Power confers the ability to win gains.

• For unions, power comes from an active and involved membership, outspoken policy advocacy, strong community involvement, and comprehensive political and legislative action. That means:

  • Support from members throughout Maryland and the U.S.

  • Accessible resources as needed

  • Community and political relationships

• When our residents and fellows employed by UMMC advocate for enhancing patient care and gaining the rights and benefits we deserve, all of AFT is behind us.

• In 2023, AFT organized close to 8,300 new members in the healthcare field.

• University of Vermont Medical Center

  • Ancillary staff (e.g., nurse aides) and technicians (e.g., EMTs)  totaling 2,200 workers.

  • The most significant single NLRB election victory in 2023.

• Other recent victories include the organization of: 

  • 110 Residents at Wayne State University 

  • 910 diagnostic imaging technicians at Michigan Medicine

  • 414 RNs, professionals, and technicians at The University of New Mexico’s  Sandavol Regional Medical Center. 

  • 360 RNs at Legacy Mount Hood, Oregon. 

  • 180 home health and hospice professionals at Providence in Portland,  Oregon. 

  • 62 Physicians, NPs, and nurse midwives at Providence Women’s Clinic in  Portland, Oregon. 

  • 25 Physicians, NPs, and PAs at Providence Medford, Oregon. 

  • 260 Residents at Western Michigan University organized and won an election on April 21st, 2024.

  • 1020 Residents filed for an election at Detroit Medical Center and are awaiting an election order from NLRB. 

• New York’s Stony Brook Hospital

  • A seven-step pay scale that ranges from $67,833 to $97,127

  • $2,500 resident stipend

  • $3,026 location stipend

• The New York State/United University Professions

  • Joint Labor Management Committee

  • Certification and Licensure Exam Fee Reimbursement Program

    • Reimburses the cost of examinations for first-time certification and licensure.

    • Enables employees to improve job-related skills in their profession and gain the knowledge and skills necessary for promotional opportunities and career mobility within the State University of New York (SUNY).

  • The Individual Development Awards Program

    • This award reimburses conferences and exam prep courses up to $2,000.