New Mexico’s public employment numbers and services have suffered alongside other sectors of our economy. Combining other factors, including ten years of regressive tax policy, below national average school testing results, some of the lowest graduation rates in the nation, diminished federal funding, and a drastically cut state budget, NM’s table is hardly set for an economic recovery. Read more >>>

Not an Illusion: $20 Million Dollars / 10,000 NM State Employees

Attorney Youtz laid out a simple and elegant position for the Justices and the 100+ AFSCME members crammed into a capacity NM Supreme Court Building. “Is the State bound by a legal agreement when the legislature appropriates enough money [for the raise] and breeches the contract by using that money elsewhere? For example, if the state enters into a contract to purchase, at a specific price, CAT tractors, and later decides to pay less, CAT has a legal right to hold the State to that agreement and be paid.” Read more >>>

New Mexico’s public employment numbers and services have suffered alongside other sectors of our economy. Combining other factors, including ten years of regressive tax policy, below national average school testing results, some of the lowest graduation rates in the nation, diminished federal funding, and a drastically cut state budget, NM’s table is hardly set for an economic recovery.

NM Voices for Children, Report

State of New Mexico

Negotiations with the State of New Mexico and Council 18 on a successor agreement continue to drag. The stretched-out negotiations are directly attributable to the state’s insistence on eliminating fundamental worker rights’ and ignoring years’ of fine-tuned language which benefit the state and provide a fair working environment.

The Supreme Court of the State of New Mexico is scheduled to hear oral argument in the State employee pay plan litigation on May 15, at 9:00am.  AFSCME members are encouraged to attend the one-hour hearing to listen to the State argue against employees' contractual pay increase and for the Justices to see the faces of the affected workers.

 "Right to Work" in the news lately. Turn down big$ corporate background noise, here's what the debate is really about…less freedom for workers, not more

RTW laws make it easier:

-for Corp CEO's to avoid paying benefits
-for Corps to engage in downsizing, constantly reminding those who stay that "they're lucky to have a job."
-treat the workers who make CEO success possible like numbers who are easily replaced
-destroy unions as we know them, tip the balance more in corporate favor at expense of middle class

Following years of unaddressed grievances and safety concerns, City of Albuquerque Transit Officers will hold a press conference Monday describing issues leading to a unanimous vote of no confidence (VNC) against Superintendent Clarence E Decker and Lt. John F. Baker.

Transit Officers are a component of Albuquerque’s public safety system. Officers do not carry firearms, but are called upon to engage and intervene in violent confrontations on City Buses. “The work is very dangerous and stressful, but we’re part of the safety net for Albuquerque citizens,” said AFSMCE Local 1888 President and Transit Officer Judy Garcia. “Management’s flippant disregard for officer safety and refusal to run our division professionally is extremely frustrating.”

Transit Officers will hold the press conference on April 1, 2013, at 4:30 pm, directly outside Vincent E. Griego Council Chambers, basement level of Albuquerque/Bernalillo County Government Center, One Civic Plaza.

AFSCME 18 RADIO Interview w/ Local 1888 President Judy Garcia

Hidalgo County Public Safety Employees have voted unanimously to form a union. AFSCME becomes the exclusive bargaining representative for Hidalgo County Public Safety Personnel. The March 21 secret ballot election, held at the Ena Mitchell Senior Citizen Center in Lordsburg, was run by the State of New Mexico Public Employee Labor Relations Board.Employees gathered 90% of their co-worker’s signatures on a petition triggering the election. Local Union leaders will next request dates to sit down with County management and bargain a contract spelling out terms and conditions of employment for employees.

County Sheriff’s Deputies, Dispatchers, Detention Officers, and Corporal Detention Officers who are NOT probationary, managerial, confidential, or supervisory will be protected by that contract once it is ratified by members and adopted by the county commission.

For the second time in three months, AFSCME members appeared before the State Personnel Board meeting and asked that urgent wage disparity and vacancy issues be addressed.

Following the January meeting, SPO Director Gene Moser and Labor Relations Sandy Martinez spoke amicably with AFSCME membership and set a date to meet over the issues, brainstorm solutions, and share information.

Sadly, just 48 hours before the meeting, SPO contacted AFSCME Council 18 to say the meeting was "OFF" and would not take place under any circumstances.

Reasons for calling off the meeting varied depending on what questions were posed to Mr. Moser. Reasons he echoed at today's Personnel Board Meeting; discussions of wage parity must take place at bargaining, our grievances can only be handled legislatively, or finally, there is no money in the budget to give career employees the raises that would result in pay equity with the very new hires they're training.

"SPO has never put the pay classification topic on the table during bargaining and to say otherwise, is untruthful.

Thomas Griego, Hearing Officer for the Public Employee Labor Relations Board (PELRB), writing in his recommended decision (PPC case 124-12 AFSCME v. RLD) seems to have lost patience with the Regulations and Licensing Department's "unreasonable persistence in punishing union officials" trying to do their job.

The 19 page recommended decision orders RLD to recognize AFSCME Union Steward and RLD Field Inspector, Jason Davis. The decision follows a long pattern of anti-worker conduct and bullying behavior at the department.

Listen to Interview with Jason Davis, AFSCME Steward and Electrical Inspector for New Mexico’s Regulation and Licensing Department [this month's Union Made Member Profile]

        APD career employee and AFSCME Council 18 Executive Board Member, Patricia French has been voted the new Chair of the Public Employee Retirement Association (PERA) Board. Ms. French earned the trust of other PERA board members who voted she lead PERA through some of the most difficult changes in its history.

        Ms. French, on the PERA board since 2005, begins her one year term as the legislature takes up bills aimed at putting the PERA fund on track to 100% solvency by 2041. PERA board members have spent over two years working on a plan to protect the fund following a number of devastating market years which saw PERA retirement plan's unfunded liability grow significantly.

        "The plan we've sent up to the Roundhouse has been carefully thought out," said French, "the decisions we made will strengthen the fund for everyone, current and future retirees, for many years to come. You can't make eveyone happy, but this plan puts us on track to achieve sovency by 2041, protecting one of the top ten public pension systems in the country."

        PERA's plan to shore up the fund (viewed HERE) calls on all stakeholders to share in the sacrifice and protect the retirement for all.

        AFSCME Council 18 Board has endorsed the PERA Solvency Plan.

Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was deeply committed to community service, gave his life in service, and urged all of us to serve our communities. He said “Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?'”

CLICK! Events commemorating Dr Martin Luther King Jr in Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Las Cruces.

As you all know, Dr King was assassinated while helping AFSCME Local 1733 in a struggle for basic workers rights.

AFSCME Members are called out, come and show solidarity for Dr. King's lasting legacy. 

Heavy Lifting for CYFD Investigators as SPO Contiunes to Drop Ball

AFSCME Local leaders representing Children Youth and Families Department (CYFD) delivered over 100 petition signatures to the January State Personnel Board meeting. The petition called upon State Personnel to address wage disparity, retention, and recruitment issues creating serious staffing, morale, and safety concerns across state government.

CYFD Child Protective Service workers (CPS), staff at JPPO, and JPTC mentor confined and at-risk youth, find placements, and conduct home checks for high-needs children. “Staff at these sites are 100%  dedicated  and committed to assisting NM youth feel safe and valued. We mentor them in life skills and provide resources and tools necessary to steer themselves towards productive futures,” says Corina Barron-Sifuentes, President Local 3320. ?

Press Release

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

“We have been in full contract negotiations with the hospital since May and it is unclear why a not for profit hospital that is financially doing well, who’s unrestricted net assets DOUBLED between the end of FY 2006 and the end of FY 2011, has 66+ days cash on hand, and plans to build a $146 million new hospital utilizing “internal resources” would not budget for a wage increase for its employees?” stated Nicola Trevisan, a social worker, and staff representative of1199NM, National Union of Hospital and Health Care Employees, to the Board Of Regents of the University of New Mexico.

 A Weekend for Union Member / Working Americans to Enjoy

In this Update:

• Message and VIDEO of AFSCME Members in Action GOTV
• New Mexico Faces VIDEO of the celebration and WORK we did to make it happen

You did it! We did it.

America re-elected President Obama and Vice President Biden—giving them added strength in the fight to create jobs and opportunity. The voters have given a mandate to protect vital programs like Medicare, Social Security and Medicaid, end tax cuts for the wealthy and strengthen the middle class.

During Tuesday’s interim legislative committee meeting Public Employee Retirement Association (PERA) Executive Director Wayne Propst said, “PERA is a bit like a patient…in critical condition.” The question for Union PERA / ERB (Educational Retirement Board) members is, do we attach the oxygen, stabilize the heart, and get our patient breathing, or, endanger the patient’s life by standing around debating what needs to be done in order to ensure our patient will play pro-football again.

New Mexican women stand in solidarity and demand the resignation of Sheriff Houston for his disparaging remarks and illegal actions against women

      AFSCME Members working under Bernalillo County Sheriff Dan Houston have a list of grievances a mile long. Well aware of a disdain for the labor movement, AFSCME members mount active resistance to his clandestine efforts to diminish worker’s’ rights and voices on the job. It was not a surprise when Albuquerque Journal broke a story October 11, detailing Houston’s disparaging remarks directed at women working in his department.

  The New Mexico Court of Appeals issued a decision in favor of AFSCME and CWA on an important issue affecting wages for both state bargaining units. The decision affirms previous arbitration awards and a State District Court decision in the Unions’ favor requiring the State to issue back pay checks to employees in an unknown amount, but which is estimated to be in the $5 – $10 million range. Depending on where Union employees fall within their pay band, the back pay due could rise into the thousands. Read more >>>

     Dedicated union employees working for Emergency Medical Services, Adult and Juvenile Detention Facilities in Taos County are experiencing what we refer to in the labor movement as a "runaway shop". A runaway shop is characterized as a workplace where quality of management has been corrupted and managers have fallen into a cycle where unwarranted discipline is dispensed rampantly; where management engages in systematic retaliation against employees who are perceived as questioning compromised management style....read on.

 "Those are the lessons we learn from labor, when there's someone in need, we step forward." Congressman Lujan shared these words while accepting an award on behalf of his father, Speaker Lujan, for his lifetime of work fighting for working people.

from the United Way of Central New Mexico September 2012 Newsletter

     The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Council 18 represents city, county and state workers throughout the state. In the metro area they represent the City of Albuquerque, City of Rio Rancho and Bernalillo County.

 PROJECT: The AFSCME Community Team (ACT) needs 15 volunteers to assist with serving dinner at the Albuquerque Rescue Mission.

     “Valencia County Manager Bruce Swingle is a tactical man, but he is fair and bargained with us in good faith.” Andres Nevarez, Valencia County Detention Center Officer and negotiator with the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 2745, share these words following ratification of their first union contract. Read more >>>

by Miles Conway, Communications Specialist for AFSCME Council 18

You would think a 77-year-old taking care of 54 million souls would show signs of weakening or slowing down. Quite the contrary, the Social Security Act of 1935 is looking strong and fit in spite of constant attacks by privileged elites who’ll never have need of the modest safety net it provides for retired Americans AND their families.

A car show in Taos on Saturday, Aug. 25, promises to be fun for everyone.

The New Mexico Court of Appeals issued a decision Wednesday, Aug. 8, in favor of AFSCME and CWA on an important issue affecting wages for both state bargaining units. The decision affirms previous arbitration awards in the unions’ favor which require the state to issue back pay checks to employees. Read more >>>

Local 1661, which represents the men and women who serve as security specialists in the Bernalillo County Courthouse and the Juvenile Justice Center filed a complaint wth the county's Labor Relations Board, charging Sheriff Dan Houston with delaying negotiations. The Albuquerque Journal covered the complaint in a short story Aug. 4. Read more >>>

The New Mexico Department of Corrections is appealing an arbitrator's ruling to return to his job state prison employee and Local 3422 member Cayetano Trujillo. The Albuquerque Journal North covered the story. Read more >>>

In response to an AFSCME petition, Judge Valerie Huling ordered Gov. Susana Martinez to remove the names of non-exempt state employees from the state's Sunshine Portal.  The Albuquerque Journal covered that decision July 24.. Read more >>>

Fixing a wheelchair ramp, painting a home's interior, cleaning elderly residents' yard, Council 18's first AFSCME Community Team (ACT) project is set for Aug. 18. Read more >>>

The Alamogordo City Commission voted unanimously at its June 26 meeting to approve a collective bargaining agreement extension with the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, Local 3818.  The extension will include a 3 percent pay hike for the coming fiscal year. Read more >>>

If state appellate judges uphold the rulings of their predecessors in a three-year-old lawsuit, New Mexico may be on the hook to pay millions—if not tens of millions—of dollars to current and former state employees. Read more >>>

Thanks to all those who came out to AFSCME Council 18's 2012 Local Union Leadership Training!

The Light of New Mexico recently published an op-ed by AFSCME Secretary-Treasurer Lee Saunders that speaks out about the concerns of AFSCME members and working families here in New Mexico and across the country.

Please click the link above for the full text!

Times are tough for working families in New Mexico. That's why AFSCME Council 18 will be gathering school supplies throughout the state in February and March. We will then donate the collected supplies to several areas where school children are in financial need. Read more >>>

Thanks to all those who came out to support the MLK  marches in Las Cruces and Albuquerque!! (Photos by Rob Trombley and Robert Collazo)

The Albuquerque Journal recently published a very important and timely op-ed piece written by AFSCME International Secretary-Treasurer Lee A. Saudenrs. The op-ed, published on Martin Luther King Day, discusses the shared goals and long-standing relationship between the Civil Rights movement and AFSCME here in New Mexico and across the country. Click the link above to read the full text or download a copy of the op-ed

There are two parades honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. scheduled for January 15 -- one in Albuquerque and one in Las Cruces. It is so important for AFSCME members to participate in Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, Annual Parade events as the civil rights and labor movements are tied together. As you all know, Dr. King was in Memphis, TN, in support of the striking sanitation workers of AFSCME Local 1733 when he was assassinated. Please click the article for all the details and to download copies of the event flyers

KOAT, KOB, KRQE, the Albuquerque Journal, KUNM and the Associated Press ALL covered our "Clean Water Jobs Coalition" press conference on Monday that brought together a wide variety of environmental, labor, and consumer groups, as well as local elected officials, in support of water infrastructure projects here in New Mexico. Click "Read more" to get links to several of the stories. Read more >>>

The Santa Fe Reporter just published another well-written story, this time about the extremely high vacancy rates and culture of employee intimidation at the Department of Health.

The story link is pasted below and you can read the full story inside this post.

Here's the link to that story:

http://www.sfreporter.com/santafe/article-6473-department-of-help.html

The Santa Fe Reporter just published a well-written story that gives an update about AFSCME Council 18's state contract negotiations. The link is pasted below. Please read!

http://www.sfreporter.com/santafe/article-6457-tense-talks.html

Yesterday was a truly important day for public employees and working families across the country because Ohioans overwhelmingly voted to repeal Senate Bill 5—Gov. John Kasich's attack on middle-class jobs that was designed to destroy collective bargaining rights in Ohio.

For months, AFSCME members and other public employees have been working tirelessly to overturn this anti-worker bill. Our victory sends a clear message and represents a turning point in the collective work to protect good jobs and workplace rights.

We want to congratulate everyone who helped create this historic day and look forward to more victories in the future!

Bargaining unit formed at detention center in LL
Written by Julia M. Dendinger/News-Bulletin
Saturday, 05 November 2011 07:00

A new collective bargaining unit has been formed at the Valencia County Detention Center. After a quiet four-hour election Wednesday evening, the ballots were counted and the vote was unanimous.

AFSCME Council 18 is speaking out against Governor Martinez's vindictive decision to cut flex time for state employees. Both the Albuquerque Journal and Channel 13 covered the story. To watch the video, click below. To read the Journal story, please click the headline above.

Gov’s Team Demands End to 25 Years of Gains for State Employees!

Don’t Let This Happen to Your Public Workers.

In the first bargaining sessions with the State, its negotiators told New Mexico’s public employee unions— the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), the Communications Workers of America (CWA), and the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP)—to rip up all but a couple of the pages in their contracts.

AFSCME Council 18 will be holding a series of town hall meetings across the state to discuss the status of the state contract negotiations. Please click on the link above to learn more!

AFSCME Council 18's Biennial Convention in Las Cruces was a smashing success! Here are some of the highlights from the event. Enjoy!

AFSCME Council 18's Maxine Velasquez speaks eloquently and forcefully about SPO's poorly-timed decision to illegally layoff 12 workers and union members at EXPO New Mexico.

An update from the Legislative Special Session and other news from your union.

AFSCME Council 18 represents more than 15,000 public employees across New Mexico. We perform many of the state's most important jobs—from childcare providers to corrections officers—and work to make sure our rights, our families and our communities are protected. To learn more about our union and meet our members, please take a moment to watch the following video. 

Cayetano Trujillo, an AFSCME Council 18 Correctional Officer, speaks out against the state's attack on public employees in this Op-Ed published in the Albuquerque Journal.

Hundreds of community members, union allies and elected officials from across New Mexico attended a vigil in Santa Fe on July 24 in support of their brothers and sisters at CHRISTUS St. Vincent Regional Medical Center who are fighting to win a fair contract with the hospital.

1199NM Vigil - Images by Jakob Schiller

A group of AFSMCE members, along with labor and community allies, deliverd more that 500 signatures to Gov. Susana Martinez's office on Tuesday demanding Brother Lee Ortega be reinstated after he was fired by the New Mexico Corrections Department for blowing the whistle on the department's plans to hide a serial sexual harasser.

ORTEGA PETITIONS - Images by Jakob Schiller

AFSCME members from across New Mexico joined their brothers and sisters at CHRISTUS St. Vincent Regional Medical Center during a rally on June 24th in Santa Fe.