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New Mexico Bargaining Law Opens Union Door to Thousands
Take away workers' exercise rights and, well, they're likely to exercise their rights.
That's what happened when New Mexico's state government took away workers' paid time to go to the gym or take a walk. The New Mexico State Employee Alliance, SEA@CWA, calculated that losing an hour-and-a-half each week to exercise was the equivalent of a 3.9 percent pay cut.
They spread the word, via a website, phone calls and worksite visits, persuading 211 workers to sign cards to organize the state's Department of Cultural Affairs, Miners Colfax Medical Center and Commission on the Status of Women. Nearly 400 workers are now represented by CWA.
Meanwhile, CWA's organizing campaign - sparked by a new bargaining law for state workers - continues at agencies, boards and commissions across the state.
"In all, we expect up to 5,000 workers to be represented by CWA," said Kevin Mulligan, District 7 Organizing Coordinator. "To date, over 1,000 have joined SEA@CWA."
CWA previously represented several hundred state workers in six agencies, through Locals 7037 and 7011. But in 1999 then-Gov. Gary Johnson, a Libertarian, allowed the state's collective bargaining law to sunset.
Even without bargaining rights, "many of those members continued to pay dues and stuck around to help rebuild the union," Mulligan said.
CWA locals statewide campaigned to elect current Gov. Bill Richardson, a Democrat, in 2002, in part because he pledged to sign a new bargaining rights law. He did, and it went into effect July 1. The state Labor Board is allowing card-check recognition for previously organized units and is in the process of writing new organizing guidelines for other government entities.
Anticipating the new collective bargaining law, Locals 7037 and 7011 launched SEA@CWA in February. With help from organizers borrowed from locals in Arizona, Utah and Colorado, they built a statewide organizing committee of 100 workers.
Using their new website along with phone banks and job visits - the new law gives them access to worksites - they addressed workers' concerns, including underpaid per diems and loss of benefits.
The campaign's emphasis now shifts to card check drives at the departments of Health and Environment, with nearly 1,500 workers between them.
As for the "exercise rights," CWA expects to prevail on the governor - who recently hired his own personal trainer - to restore the benefit, Local 7037 President Ron Scott said.
That's what happened when New Mexico's state government took away workers' paid time to go to the gym or take a walk. The New Mexico State Employee Alliance, SEA@CWA, calculated that losing an hour-and-a-half each week to exercise was the equivalent of a 3.9 percent pay cut.
They spread the word, via a website, phone calls and worksite visits, persuading 211 workers to sign cards to organize the state's Department of Cultural Affairs, Miners Colfax Medical Center and Commission on the Status of Women. Nearly 400 workers are now represented by CWA.
Meanwhile, CWA's organizing campaign - sparked by a new bargaining law for state workers - continues at agencies, boards and commissions across the state.
"In all, we expect up to 5,000 workers to be represented by CWA," said Kevin Mulligan, District 7 Organizing Coordinator. "To date, over 1,000 have joined SEA@CWA."
CWA previously represented several hundred state workers in six agencies, through Locals 7037 and 7011. But in 1999 then-Gov. Gary Johnson, a Libertarian, allowed the state's collective bargaining law to sunset.
Even without bargaining rights, "many of those members continued to pay dues and stuck around to help rebuild the union," Mulligan said.
CWA locals statewide campaigned to elect current Gov. Bill Richardson, a Democrat, in 2002, in part because he pledged to sign a new bargaining rights law. He did, and it went into effect July 1. The state Labor Board is allowing card-check recognition for previously organized units and is in the process of writing new organizing guidelines for other government entities.
Anticipating the new collective bargaining law, Locals 7037 and 7011 launched SEA@CWA in February. With help from organizers borrowed from locals in Arizona, Utah and Colorado, they built a statewide organizing committee of 100 workers.
Using their new website along with phone banks and job visits - the new law gives them access to worksites - they addressed workers' concerns, including underpaid per diems and loss of benefits.
The campaign's emphasis now shifts to card check drives at the departments of Health and Environment, with nearly 1,500 workers between them.
As for the "exercise rights," CWA expects to prevail on the governor - who recently hired his own personal trainer - to restore the benefit, Local 7037 President Ron Scott said.