Maryland labor leader Patrick Moran elected president of public employees union AFSCME

Patrick Moran, an influential and longtime Maryland labor leader, was elected president of AFSCME International, one of the largest labor unions in the country, Thursday.

Representing public service employees, AFSCME International has more than 1.4 million members across 46 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. Moran had served as a vice president of the national union since 2023. He’s been a labor organizer for more than 30 years.

In a statement, Moran said he was honored to win the union presidency.

“For 90 years, AFSCME members have been shaping and making history. Every generation of our union has faced its defining moment,” Moran said. “Now it’s our turn. We will fight and build power like our future depends on it because it does. We will protect our neighbors and strengthen our communities. This is our fight, and together, we’ve got the power to make change.”

It was not immediately clear who will take over for Moran in Maryland. The state union is in the midst of a contract dispute with Gov. Wes Moore’s administration. AFSCME Maryland and the Maryland State and D.C. AFL-CIO, another large union, declined to endorse Moore ahead of this year’s gubernatorial primary.

As head of AFSCME Maryland since 2012, Moran has become one of the most powerful figures in Annapolis. During that time, the AFSCME Maryland has added thousands of members and expanded collective bargaining rights to 15,000 workers, according to the union.

In a statement, the state union said its members “will miss his daily presence, but we are excited to see the decades of union experience and organizing spirit that President Moran will bring to our national union.”

The state union has done battle with governors of both parties, and its endorsement is coveted by Democrats. The state union also regularly lobbies during the legislative session, with Moran a constant presence in the capitol.

Senate President Bill Ferguson, a Baltimore Democrat, praised Moran on social media Thursday evening.

“Maryland should be proud to see one of our own chosen to lead AFSCME at this important moment for working people across the country,” Ferguson wrote on X.

With his ascendence to the head of the national union, Moran’s relationship with Maryland politicians may play a significant role in the 2028 Democratic presidential primary. U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen has said he’s kicking the tires on a White House run, and Moore, despite saying he doesn’t plan to run, has built a national profile and is seen as an emerging leader.