The legislative building in Santa Fe, N.M., is known as the Roundhouse. Citizens can spend hours there going round and round with different lobbyists and interest groups trying to sway state politicians. This session, IAM members from New Mexico Locals 1635 (Albuquerque), 794 (Albuquerque), and 2515 (Alamogordo) –along with IAM International President Brian Bryant, Western Territory General Vice President Robert “Bobby” Martinez, General Secretary-Treasurer Dora Cervantes, and Resident General Vice President Jody Bennett–took matters into their own hands and scored some impressive wins.
“The reason we do this is because we fight for working people, and when we fight for working people – we win,” said IAM International President Brian Bryant. “And what you were able to do yesterday, by getting an anti-captive audience bill out of committee, that’s a win for working people!”
Bryant was speaking about the lobbying efforts of these IAM members to move the Employees Free Speech Act, sponsored by State Rep. Eleanor Chavez, which is aimed at preventing employers from monitoring employees’ political activities and from holding mandatory attendance, anti-union captive audience meetings.
“We believe that you don’t only fight for things at the bargaining table, you also have to simultaneously fight for things through legislative action and advocacy,” said IAM Local 794 President Ashley Long. “Secondly, we are advocating for paid family medical leave. We know that our members have needs. They’re caregivers to children, to their elders in their family, and we want to make sure this legislation is passed, so that it’s easier for us to codify it in our collective bargaining agreements”
“We are building people, to build power, to make significant change for our members in their work life and their communities,” said IAM Western Territory General Vice President Robert “Bobby” Martinez. That concept grows from legendary organizer of the United Farm Workers, Marshall Ganz. “Engaging our members will get us better contracts, win more elections, and we’re just going to win overall. Real change is made when we invest in people!
IAM members also gathered at a nearby conference center to install new officers to the state council and update their bylaws to reflect needed changes.
New Mexico State Council President John Dyrcz noted that across the country, people are turning to organized labor to do things for workers that have long been ignored.
“You see states like Alaska, that are ruby red, but their voters are passing family medical leave because we all need it,” said Dyrcz. “We are going to continue to fight for laws that support workers because it’s the right thing to do. We are going to keep up the fight here in New Mexico.”
[ Council Meeting Photo Gallery]
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