I know it's short notice, but if you can call into the House Labor Committee on Thursday morning, that will help with our state employee arbitration bill (House Bill 15, Speaker Lujan) being heard Thursday afternoon.

There are five Democrats and two Republicans.  One of the Republicans is the most anti-union representative in New Mexico, so we're probably better off not calling her.  Please try to call the other six members, though.

If you're around Santa Fe tomorrow afternoon, we're scheduled to be heard just after 1:30 p.m. in Room 305.  We believe Rep. Stapleton may miss the vote, but still call her office.

Be polite to the person answering the phone.  Chances are good you won't be able to talk to the legislator directly, but the staff are good about keeping track of the number of calls coming in for and against legislation.

The main thing to say is that you are a New Mexican (specify if you're actually from their district or city) and that you would like the representative to support House Bill 15, providing for state employee arbitration for disciplinary actions.

Here is the list of committee members and the last four digits of their phone number (all numbers are 505-986-xxxx):

Chairman Miguel Garcia (D-Albuquerque South Valley) 4327
Vice Chair Richard Vigil (D-Las Vegas) 4242
Rep. Sheryl Williams-Stapleton (D-Albuquerque SE Heights) 4774
Rep. Rick Miera (D-Albuquerque near downtown) 4852
Rep. Eleanor Chavez (D-Albuquerque SW) 4464
Rep. Dennis Roch (R-Tucumcari) 4467
Rep. Candy Spence Ezzell (R-Roswell) 4450 (call only if you're from Roswell)

We'll give you an update on the bill in the next few days, plus we'll have another round of calls in support of our child care organizing bill, which will be heard Tuesday.

There have been more rumors of furloughs of late, but we are working hard to avoid any furloughs or layoffs in both FY '09 and FY '10.  We will be sure to include a call effort if a specific threat surfaces.

We have made some good progress this week to protect PERA and ERA.  We still will have to fight off some bills, but leadership in each house seems more focused on restricting right to work (which is also our position) than on changing age and years of service, at least this year.

AFSCME stood up in support of House Bill 62, the farm and ranch workers' workers' compensation bill, because for decades they are the one group of New Mexicans who have almost no health coverage if they're injured on the job.  The bill, sponsored by AFSCME friend and worker champion Rep. Antonio Lujan (D-Las Cruces), passed House Labor 5-2 on a straight party-line vote.

In addition for it being the right thing to do, AFSCME supports health care for such workers because it is the taxpayer and general fund who takes the hit for all of the uninsured workers in the state.  This will help reduce a significant drain on general fund monies.

Finally, the domestic partnership bill passed its first Senate committee and will be voted on in Senate Judiciary in the next few days.  

The bill would provide retiree health coverage for the domestic partner of any of our retirees who do not currently receive it because they're married, and will also get health care options and retirement for many of our current members who, unlike state employees, do not have domestic partner benefits available.

We do not take stands on social issues--this is merely a matter of expanding health and retirement benefits to our members' families, and we always support that type of legislation.

If any of you ever hear of any rumors involving state legislation, please let me or Josh know.  Sometimes people in state offices are the first to know, and we're most effective when we confront rumors and challenges as quickly as possible.  Thanks for the calls everyone!  --Carter


Carter Bundy
Political Action Representative
AFSCME International
1202 Pennsylvania St. NE
Albuquerque, NM  87110
(505) 266-2177 ext. 13 (work)
(505) 266-3155 (fax)