New Mexico’s working families breathed a collective sigh a relief when their state Senate tabled a so-called “right-to-work” bill, but the fight may not be over.
Indications are that Big Business outsiders may try to attach a right-to-work provision to a different bill, which could pull just enough support to pass. We need to continue to put pressure on New Mexico state lawmakers until the current legislative session ends on March 21.
If you are a New Mexico resident, tell your state Senate to resist any attempt to make your state “right-to-work” (for less).
“I am pleased that the New Mexico Senate Public Affairs committee did the right thing and tabled this poisonous piece of legislation, at least for now,” said IAM Western Territory General Vice President Gary Allen. “Hard-working New Mexico families have a tough enough time as it is; right-to-work-for-less would only serve to create yet another hurdle in the quest for a decent livelihood. It is especially gratifying to witness the labor movement in my home state come together and fight back. IAM representatives steeped up and lead the way by word and deed in this battle.”
For more on what right-to-work really means, visit www.rtwexposed.org.
We’ve seen this before: Anti-union groups make grand promises of economic prosperity to struggling states if they pass right-to-work legislation, only to then take advantage of their low wages and lack of bargaining power. Workers in right-to-work states make about $1,500 less annually and have fewer benefits than workers in non-right-to-work states.
“It is imperative that each and every one of us get involved in the election process,” said Ernest “Red” Dow, President and Directing Business Representative of IAM Local 794 in Albuquerque, NM. “Labor endorsed and elected candidates who stepped up and stopped right to work dead in its tracks in New Mexico by tabling this bill. Educating our members and our elected representatives to the devastating effects of this ‘jump on the bandwagon to create jobs’ folly legislation, was key to our success. We are not letting down our defenses and will continue the fight, making sure it is dead for good this session.”
New Mexico residents are encouraged to tell their New Mexico State Senator that they shouldn’t let their state become the next victim of corporate false promises. Vote NO to any “right-to-work” bill.
