The New Mexico Conference of Catholic Bishops has sent the following letter today. 

March 10, 2015

The Bishops of New Mexico oppose SB183 and HB75 “Right to Work” legislation. It is important for all Catholics to understand how Right to Work laws hurt workers and families and contradicts our Churches social teachings on the dignity of work and the rights of workers. At first glance Right to Work sounds like a law that protects workers’ rights. “Why shouldn’t I be able to work without an obligation to my job sector’s union? It’s my right not to pay unions to negotiate the contract – I don’t belong to the union and it’s my money.” Sadly, this attitude reflects our increasingly individualistic society where one privileges his rights above the common good. Not only does Right to Work fracture the sense of solidarity among workers that unions help foster, it also can put employees’ basic rights and protections into peril.

There is a good reason why Pope Leo XIII declared over 120 years ago that, “the most important of all (workplace associations and organizations) are working men’s unions.” (on the condition of labor, No. 49). In Right to Work states the union’s ability to collect dues from all workers to cover the cost of a contract negotiation ends up impacting workers and their families across the employment sector, both public and private, union and nonunion. Benedict XVI observed in Caritas in Veritate, unions are experiencing “great difficulty in carrying out their tasks of representing the interest of workers, partly because governments often limit the freedom or negotiating capacity of labor unions.” He also declared that, “the repeated calls issued within the Churches social doctrine for the promotion of workers’ associations that can defend workers’ rights must be honored today even more than in the past.” (No. 5). As Catholics it is our duty to go forth and proclaim our Churches teachings to all.

On behalf of the Catholic Bishops of New Mexico.

Allen Sánchez

Executive Director

HB75 and SB163 tabled in Senate Public Affairs committee, working family advocates thank legislators who stood strong against bills

Written by the NMFL -Mar. 10, 2015 - Legislation to make New Mexico a “Right to Work” state failed to pass out of the Senate Public Affairs committee on Tuesday night after HB75 and SB163 were tabled on a party line vote. Since the start of the session, labor and community members have been taking action together to speak out against the controversial proposal in public hearings, rallies, and community town halls across the state. This past Sunday, hundreds of New Mexico workers packed the Roundhouse and testified against “Right to Work” for the first SPAC meeting on “Right to Work” bills.

Senators spent nearly two hours of their meeting dedicated to the “Right to Work” bills, with Senators on both sides of the debate taking the opportunity to make impassioned arguments for and against the passage of the bills. Most notable was Senator Jacob Candelaria, who described “Right to Work” as a “cloud of rhetoric in search of solid ground.”

“We are so grateful to the Senators who helped to ensure the prosperity of New Mexico’s economy tonight by voting down terrible ‘Right to Work’ legislation. We also want to thank the Senators who protected the committee process and voted to stop the fast-tracking of HB75 on the Senate floor, as well as the House members who fought valiantly to oppose ‘Right to Work’ in their chamber,” said Brenda Watson, Librarian, AFSCME 477. “We look forward to all our elected officials working together toward solutions to benefit all of our state now that this distraction has been put to rest, and we will take action to protect against any Hail Mary moves to bring these dead bills back to life.”

Sunday Rally Against RTW

On Sunday, there were over 500 union members at the RTW Rally enjoying food, music, and great speeches while Teamsters waved their Teamster towels. Buses and carpools full of working families from Las Cruces, Albuquerque, and across the state arrived in Santa Fe prior to the hearing for a lively rally calling on Senators to stand strong against deceptive “right to work” proposals. Thank you to everyone that came out. To view the Local 492 photos Click Here

AFSCME also posted photos you can View Here

We were notified today, the "Right to Work" Senate Hearing is from 2-5 PM this Sunday!

Calling all Teamsters!! To Rally at the Capital, Sunday March 8^th at 1 pm, against the unnecessary Right-to-Work laws that are being proposed in Santa Fe. We must not allow this dangerous unfair attack on our union and working families. Together we’ll join forces with other NM unions and stand united to defeat the war on workers and make a powerful statement to our legislators.

Wear your Teamster colors and bring your family, friends, and co-workers. Come get your Teamster Rally Towel and march with us in Santa Fe on Sunday March 8^th, at 1 pm, see you @ the Roundhouse, 490 Old Santa Fe Trail.

Are you coming from Albuquerque? You can ride on the FREE bus leaving around 11 AM from UA Local 412 Union Hall - 510 San Pedro Dr. SE, 87108. You can also take the Rail Runner, Click Here for schedule.

CALL your Senators NOW! Tell them "right to work" is WRONG for New Mexico!1-866-803-8830.

By Clicking Here, you can email your State Senator by simply entering your Zip Code.  There is a sample letter already written for you that you can modify or you can write your own if you wish. It takes less than one minute and can really make a difference. Make your voice heard now by Clicking Here!

Teamsters Local 492 has a new tool to stay in touch with you through your mobile phone! By simply texting the phrase TEAM492 to 86466, your cell phone number will be put in our data base to receive text updates from your Local Union. Please take a moment to text TEAM492 to the 5 digit phone number 86466.

The Union is only as strong as its members so please encourage all of your co-workers to text TEAM492 to 86466.

Don’t forget, there is a General Membership Union Meeting scheduled for 10 am and will be held at the Teamsters Union Hall (downstairs) at 4269 Balloon Park Rd. NE, Albuquerque, NM.

Read an Article published in the Albuquerque Journal about RTW by your own Teamsters Local 492 Secretary-Treasurer, Walter R. Maestas.

Click Here To Learn More Facts About RTW

Teamsters Local 492 has a new tool to stay in touch with you through your mobile phone! By simply texting the phrase TEAM492 to 86466, your cell phone number will be put in our data base to receive text updates from your Local Union. Please take a moment to text TEAM492 to the 5 digit phone number 86466.

The Union is only as strong as its members so please encourage all of your co-workers to text TEAM492 to 86466.

RTW Legislation Won’t Help Workers

New Mexicans should beware of the deceptive “right-to-work” legislation that politicians and CEOs are pushing.

The term ‘right to work’ was chosen by clever PR people to confuse the public about its true meaning. It sounds like something that helps workers. It isn’t. It’s nothing more than an intrusive government tactic to limit the power of unions.

The law already says no one in New Mexico can be required to join a union. It also says unions must represent every worker, whether they join or not. Unions may charge a fee to the workers they’re forced to represent – but only if the employer and employees agree. Right-to-work laws prevent employers and employees from making that decision.

The Chamber of Commerce doesn’t offer benefits to businesses that don’t pay dues. Unions shouldn’t have to, either.

Legislation like this is being promoted all over the country by a well-coordinated network of out-of-state billionaires and corporate special interest groups. They want to keep more profit for themselves. These are the same groups that are downsizing, shipping jobs overseas, and hiding profits offshore to avoid paying the taxes that families and small businesses have to pay.  

At a time when middle-class families are struggling, we can’t afford these anti-worker laws. Studies show that in right-to-work states, like Mississippi and Indiana, workers earn $5,000 less a year. Six of the 10 states with the highest unemployment have these anti-worker policies.

The right-to-work proposal in New Mexico is a distraction that divides New Mexicans. The Legislature shouldn’t waste time on this issue. Instead, our leaders should be trying to improve the economy, create jobs and equip our schools with the tools to prepare our children for 21^st century jobs.

Click Here To Learn More Facts About RTW

Right-to-work Legislation Matters to Working Families

By Congressmen Tom Udall, Martin Heinrich, Ben Ray Lujan and Michelle Lujan Grisham | Feb 7^th, 2015

As the national economy shows signs of real improvement, New Mexico’s recovery has been challenging and slow. Working families want to know when we will see more jobs, higher salaries and access to quality education at every level. The state Legislature has an opportunity to put New Mexico in a position to provide that economic security and rebuild the middle class.

Unfortunately, the first bill to gain traction at the Roundhouse is a divisive plan backed by out-of-state political operatives designed to divide working families. The so-called Right-to-Work plan championed by special interests would do more harm than good. Consider these consequences:

• In states with similar anti-worker laws, workers earn, on average, $5,000 less each year than their counterparts in competing states.

• Six in 10 states with the highest unemployment rates have these anti-worker laws.

• Twelve of the 14 states with the worst pay gap between men and women are anti-worker states.

• Workers in states with these anti-worker laws earn fewer benefits.

• Worker safety suffers in these anti-worker states where the rate of deaths on the job is 54.4 percent higher.

The Legislature’s Jobs Council has produced bipartisan ideas to create jobs and help rebuild New Mexico’s economy. Democrats and Republicans got together with business and labor leaders, local and state officials and economic developers who endorsed these ideas.

So it is disheartening to see the new House Republican leadership using its new found power to focus on legislation that would hurt working families. And it’s disappointing to see voices of opposition silenced during committee debate on this issue.

We have opposed anti-worker policies like these at the federal level because unions have long provided benefits for all workers, regardless of membership, by fighting for benefits many now take for granted such as overtime, workplace safety and paid leave.

Legitimate studies are proving that anti-worker laws would weaken New Mexico’s already struggling middle class. Employees with unions at their backs are able to help raise the bar on pay and benefits for all workers in every industry. Anti-worker laws diminish that power. That’s why working families in New Mexico have stood strong against such policies every time outsider special interest groups have tried to force them on us.

The fact of the matter is that people are already free to join a union or not — that’s the law.

When corporate-backed special interest groups tell people to drop their union memberships, working people suffer the consequences. Non-union workers lose the guarantee that they will be heard when it comes to working conditions, benefits and wages. Working men and women in New Mexico know that real employee freedom means having a voice in the workplace.

The New Mexico Legislature has a history of standing up for working families. We urge state lawmakers to focus on growing our economy, creating well-paying 21st century jobs, investing in our schools and strengthening our middle class. There’s so much good that can be done for our state, let’s focus the effort where it will really count by putting New Mexico’s working families first.

U.S. Senators Tom Udall and Martin Heinrich are Democratic senators from New Mexico. U.S. Reps. Ben Ray Luján represents the 3rd Congressional District and Michelle Lujan Grisham, the 1st, in the House of Representatives.

Make your voice Heard! Say NO to RTW Laws! By Clicking Here, you can email your State Senator & House Representative by simply entering your Zip Code.  There is a sample letter already written for you that you can modify or you can write your own if you wish. It takes less than one minute and can really make a difference. Make your voice heard now by Clicking Here!

There will be an upcoming rally to protest against Right-To-Work legislation. Are you interested in having us contact you when volunteers are needed and/or info on the upcoming rally and other RTW updates? If so, Please Click Here to be put on our “Contact Me” list today. 

Update---Feb. 25, 2015- HB75 passes House on a party line vote after contentious public hearings

HB75, the controversial “right to work” bill, passed out of the House on a largely party line vote despite 3 hours of testimony disparaging the legislation by Representatives in support of working families. The version of the bill presented on the House floor contained amendments to include a minor minimum wage raise and the creation of a “training wage,” which detractors had been criticizing as insufficient since an $8/hour wage still leaves minimum wage earners below the poverty line. HB75 now moves on to the Senate.

Feb 19, 2015- HB 75 now has a minimum wage portion added by Rep. Nate Gentry that proposes a .50 raise to $8.00 an hour with a training wage of $7.50 an hour for six months. This addition has caused, the supporters of the Bill, a problem for the unfriendly to Labor legislators because they feel the need to vote on the two issues separately. So, HB 75 has been postponed till next week. Sign up on the "Contact Me" list to get updates for the upcoming Protest Rally at the Capital. 

Senate Democrats unveiled a Jobs Package today that they are calling “Ready to Work”.  In the press conference, Democratic Senate leaders and members stated opposition to “Right to Work”. “It’s a cheap political trick to try to divide people in this great state,” said Senate Majority Leader Michael Sanchez, D-Belen.Read an article about it here.

Feb 14th, 2015- HB75 passed the House Judiciary Committee, 7 to 6. The Bill will now go the House Floor to be voted on by the full House of Representatives. 

Feb 12, 2015- There have been interesting developments today in Santa Fe.  The House Judiciary is meeting tomorrow to discuss and vote on HB 75.  This is continuation of the hearing Tuesday, where many of you and your members spoke in opposition to this terrible bill. 

Today the House Judiciary Committee released a new proposed substitute amendment reverting to the bill as originally introduced but adding a minimum wage provision.  This is a blatant political ploy by House Republicans to try to divide all of those fighting for the working families of New Mexico.  This transparent act will not fool us or our progressive partners working to improve the lives of working families in New Mexico.  The so-called "right to work" bill now will contain a totally unrelated (and therefore unconstitutional) provision that would allow employers to pay BELOW the minimum wage for employees in their first six months at each job.  

The committee will hear testimony on the minimum wage provision tomorrow, (testimony on right to work was on Tuesday) before discussing and voting on the bill.

• The increase is insufficient and will leave hard working families far below the poverty line.
• The training wage is designed for employers to abuse, so they never have to pay an increase.  It leaves workers more vulnerable than they are now. 

Tying the increase to a bill that undermines workers' right to organize and stand up for their own interests’ only shows that the sponsors don't care about working families. 

Feb 10, 2015-  House Judiciary Hearing Today

The hearing began late due to 2 reasons: First, the crowd was so large that they moved the hearing to the House Chamber; Second, Rep. Roch offered a substitute for HB 75.  The substitute is currently being analyzed and we will update you with what it means, but it seems to do 2 things, eliminate hiring halls for private sector unions and say that Public Sector Unions don’t have to represent in any way people who aren’t members.  Initial research indicates this may be a new version of the ALEC RTW proposal.

Here is the Albuquerque Journal Story on the Substitute bill:

http://www.abqjournal.com/539680/politics/changes-to-right-to-work-bill-could-shift-union-landscape.html

The large crowd was filled with many people in opposition to the bill, speaking to the committee about this unfair, unnecessary bill that is terrible for New Mexico’s Middle Class.  The testimony went on until 7:45pm.  The committee then postponed discussion, further amendments and voting until Friday, 2/13 at 1:30pm in room 309.

Our field program continued today with phone calls to targeted Senate Districts and canvassing to generate handwritten letters.  Thanks to many of you and your members for attending and speaking out to the House Judiciary Committee today.

Feb 7th, 2015- Thank you to all the volunteers that came out today to help stuff envelops about RTW. Click Here to view the list of volunteers 

Feb 6th, 2015- HB 75 is scheduled to be heard in the Judiciary Committee on Monday February 9th, 2015.

Jan 29^th, 2015- Today the House Business and Employment Committee voted 8-5, largely along party lines, to approve “right-to-work” bill HB 75 called the “Employee Preference Act,” despite a five-hour hearing of testimony from 51 people who spoke against the bill, while only 13 people, mainly business associations and chambers of commerce leaders, spoke in favor the bill. It was also pointed out publicly there was not a single Union worker at the hearing voicing interest in the bill or wanting to “opt-out” of a Union, but the committee voted in favor of it anyway.  

The proposal now goes to the House Judiciary Committee for a vote then (if passed) to the full House, now under Republican control for the first time in 60 years.

Everyone should contact your State Senator & House Representative today and ask them to oppose “Right to Work” bills like the “Employee Preference Act” and other anti-worker bills and measures moving through the state legislature. They need to hear from you! 

By Clicking Here, you can email your State Senator & House Representative by simply entering your Zip Code.  There is a sample letter already written for you that you can modify or you can write your own if you wish. It takes less than one minute and can really make a difference. Make your voice heard now by Clicking Here!

If you’re not sure what RTW is, or why it’s bad, Click Here to educate yourself on what's going on in NM. 

Are you interested in having us contact you when volunteers are needed to help fight RTW? Please Click Here to be put on our “Contact Me” list today.

RTW is coming to NM unless we fight to stop it. If you’re not sure what RTW is, or why it’s bad, Click Here to educate yourself on what's going on in NM. 

Are you interested in having us contact you when volunteers are needed to help fight RTW? Please Click Here to be put on our “Contact Me” list today.  

Everyone should contact your State Senator & House Representative today and ask them to oppose “Right to Work” and other anti-worker bills and measures moving through the state legislature. They need to hear from you! 

By Clicking Here, you can email your State Senator & House Representative by simply entering your Zip Code.  There is a sample letter already written for you that you can modify or you can write your own if you wish. It takes less than one minute and can really make a difference. Make your voice heard now by Clicking Here!

Click Here to Read the Open Letter From the Western Conference Of Teamsters Pension Trust about the recently passed Omnibus Bill which included the Multi-Employer Pension Reform Act of 2014 (MEPRA 2014). 

Click Here to read more about RTW and why it is bad for workers, not just Union workers, but all workers.

Make your voice Heard! Say NO to RTW Laws! By Clicking Here, you can email your State Senator & House Representative by simply entering your Zip Code.  There is a sample letter already written for you that you can modify or you can write your own if you wish. It takes less than one minute and can really make a difference. Make your voice heard now by Clicking Here!

Are you interested in having us contact you when volunteers are needed to march? Please Click Here to be put on our “Contact Me” list today.  

Get Ready For The NM War On Workers!

A commentary By Teamsters Union Local 492 Recording Secretary, Trey White

I hope you all had a great 2014, and hope 2015 is even better for you. 2015 looks promising from the indicators economists study.  

The 2014 election in New Mexico had a low voter turnout which is usually not good for labor.  So unfortunately, while the good, hard working people of New Mexico punched in for work on November 4^th, 2014, corporate America was busy buying another election, and you can probably understand, they do not have the workers best interests in mind when they are handing out that cash to the candidates, quite the opposite.

Well the pay off for the big spenders is about to play out in our own back yard here in New Mexico, when anti-worker politicians outnumber the labor friendly ones in the NM State House of Representatives for the first time in 60 years. No matter who you voted for, I am sure you don’t want your elected politicians undermining the collective voice you have at work, so please, read on. If you believe the Union has no positive effect on your life, please Click Here to read some American History you may not be aware of.   

Now it is time for the men and women of the State of New Mexico who punch a clock everyday to start voicing their opinions (loudly) about laws these unfriendly-to-labor lawmakers look to change.

We will be asking for volunteers at the end of this article to assist in this fight, or you can just Click Here now to be put on our “Contact Me” list.  

Here is what the War on Workers looks like for the 2015 Legislative session:

• A change in workers compensation eligibility (NOT IN THE WORKERS FAVOR) designed to lessen the employer’s liability.
• Removal of the state’s Little Davis Bacon Act (which keeps wages from falling) on construction projects that qualify.
• Repeal of SB33 which requires that Union negotiated wages in the construction trades are the prevailing wages on state funded construction projects.
• And saving the most important for last, there are 6 different, but equally damaging, versions of “right-to-work” legislation being introduced.

“Right-to-work” (RTW) is one of those names given to a law to trick people into believing it’s a good cause. Who doesn’t want the right to work? Everyone should, but this is America and you and I as Americans, already have the right to work. But that is not what this law is about. The law divides the Union workforce into two factions; dues payers and freeloaders. RTW laws may differ from state to state (there are 6 versions of the law being written for the 2015 fight against the workers of NM), but they all have one thing in common, protect the freeloader. 

RTW laws let the worker at a Union job stop paying dues, but the Union is still required by law to provide all services to the non-dues paying worker. The freeloader gets all the benefits of the Union for free, even though it costs money to employ local Union business agents who negotiate those great wages and benefits that the freeloader came to the Union Job for in the first place. The Union is also still required under RTW laws, to help with grievances and terminations, etc. of the freeloader. But if everyone is freeloading, the Union will not be able to continue to pay the salaries of those business agents, and eventually there will be no one to help the freeloader, and that is the ultimate goal of RTW, to weaken (or eliminate) the Union and thereby weakening the workers’ position in the workplace. 

Ask yourself, would these same anti-labor lawmakers ever pass a similar law called “Right-to-Live”, where someone would have the “right to live” here, drive on America’s roads, send their kids to America’s schools, work an American Job, and collect a Social Security check when they retire, but not have to “join America” or ever pay taxes? Of course not, but that is essentially what these lawmakers expect from Unions; to support a person who is reaping all the benefits of The Union (The Country) without paying The Dues (The Taxes) that built it and keep it running, and retire with a Pension (Social Security Check) that is just not available to most modern day non-union workers.

These legislators that pretend RTW is good for the worker are not just lying to you, they are hypocrites. Their only motivation in passing RTW is to please the big corporate donors that got them elected, not to do what’s right for Americans.    

Click Here to read more about RTW and why it is bad for workers, not just Union workers, but all workers.

The four issues mentioned above that are being introduced in 2015, including the 6 versions of RTW, will hurt WORKERS and the MIDDLE CLASS. This is clearly a potential race to the bottom for New Mexico workers.

If working families in New Mexico are important to you and your family, it’s time to mobilize friends, family members and everyone that feels that a living wage and worker rights are crucial parts of raising a family here in New Mexico. The Teamsters, along with other worker friendly organizations, are going to need your support during the upcoming legislative session if we are going to defeat these destructive measures being introduced. We will need volunteers to march on the capital in Santa Fe when these bills come up for a vote. We will try to give you as much notice as possible, but unfortunately the process can be quite unpredictable (which they do intentionally).

Are you interested in having us contact you when volunteers are needed to march? Please Click Here to be put on our “Contact Me” list today.  

By Clicking Here, you can email your State Senator & House Representative by simply entering your Zip Code.  There is a sample letter already written for you that you can modify or you can write your own if you wish. It takes less than one minute and can really make a difference. Make your voice heard now by Clicking Here!

Thank you for taking the time to educate yourself about issues that may impact you greatly. Please encourage your co-workers and family to do the same. The working class cannot afford to sit back and watch as corporations have their way with this great country of ours, let’s take it back, together!