Baltimore City Community College Staff Demand ‘Fair' And Timely Wages

By William J. Ford, Maryland Matters

September 10, 2025

Laura Pope will teach an eight-week class at Baltimore City Community College through Oct. 17 this semester, but said she won’t get paid until May 2026.

“We’re basically working without getting paid,” said Pope, who has worked at the college since 2013 and is currently a professor of English, communications and humanities. “Administration started a policy where, instead of getting paid in the semester when we teach a class, we don’t get paid until” later in the school year.

Hers was one of many grievances that professors brought to a rally Tuesday to protest the fact that almost a year after unionizing they still have no contract with the college. A few dozen faculty, students, union leaders and other supporters at the rally had a simple message: Pay staff fair and timely wages.

For the past several years, rallygoers said, some faculty have received pay that was a few weeks to several months late. Union leaders said some employees endure inaccurate payments, or none at all. When classes started on Aug. 25, union leaders said, more than 50 had no instructor.

Laura Pope, a Baltimore City Community College professor, speaks at a rally Tuesday for fair and timely wages, among other demands to college leadership. (Photo by William J. Ford/Maryland Matters)

“This is unacceptable and causes unnecessary disruptions and barriers to the academic progress of our students,” said Angelique Cook-Hayes, an assistant professor of English at the college for more than 12 years.

“These issues have damaged our college community and have occurred for far too long. It is time for the community to stand together and speak out,” Cook-Hayes said.

To address the problems, full-time faculty at the college certified United Academics of Maryland in October 2024, an affiliate of American Federal of Teachers-Maryland.

AFT Maryland President Kenya Campbell said Tuesday she hopes college administration does right by the staff.

“We want to be a partner in this work. We have a couple of ideas, but again, we’re not the ones cutting the check,” she said. “But I think we have enough experience and ideas that we can talk it through and find a really, really good, effective resolution to the problem.”

After rallying for about 25 minutes, faculty and supporters walked to the administration building to deliver a list of demands to College President Debra McCurdy. They were greeted instead by Michael Thomas, the vice president of workforce development and continuing education, who took the list from Ryan Castle, AFT Maryland higher ed organizer, before everyone left the lobby.

The list of requests includes:

Timely and accurate pay for all faculty, including overload and adjunct work;

Transparent communication and accountability from BCCC administration;

Hiring and staffing solutions to fill vacant courses and reduce student impact; and

Support for all faculty and respect for collective bargaining rights.

Shortly after the rally, the college released a statement to acknowledge and “respect” the faculty union’s right to rally to express its priorities.

“The College remains committed to the collective bargaining process and is negotiating in good faith to reach a fair and sustainable agreement that recognizes the invaluable contributions of our faculty,” the statement said. “We believe that a successful resolution must be one that not only provides competitive wages and benefits but also ensures the long-term financial health of the College for the benefit of all members of our community — including our students, staff, and taxpayers.”

But it went on to say that “we firmly believe the most productive path forward is at the bargaining table. We urge the union’s leadership to continue engaging with us constructively so we can conclude these negotiations and provide stability for our faculty and the entire College community.”

McCurdy was not a focus of the rally — her name was only mentioned once, as rallying faculty walked to deliver the list of demands — but she was clearly on the minds of some union leaders Tuesday.

“I don’t know if the president or the leader of this institution is missing paychecks, but I highly doubt it,” said Baltimore AFL-CIO President Courtney Jenkins. “I bet if they did, this issue would not be an issue.”

One particular issue is the lack of specialized supplies, like jackets, for students in the dental hygiene program, said Gwen Farmer, a clinical instructor in the dental hygiene clinic. Farmer, an adjunct professor at the college, also recalled being paid about two months late.

“I come here not for the money. I come here to teach and educate, and like to be compensated and get a little something for doing it right,” said Farmer, a 2000 graduate of the college who works in a dental office and does dental hygiene work at nursing homes.

Campbell, the AFT president, said she remains hopeful.

“I’m hoping that they have heard our loud voices. They have seen our presence and, more importantly, the demands that we had in writing that we handed over to them,” she said.