Gathering Encourages Right-to-Work

Mayor, business groups promote bills pre-filed in state legislature.
Albuquerque’s mayor and a host of business groups are solidly backing legislation that would make New Mexico a “right-to-work” state, saying it would help bring jobs to the state and boost the economy.
Several so called right-to-work bills have been pre-filed for the legislative session that begins Jan. 20. The bills would prohibit private-sector employees from being required to join a union or pay union dues as a condition of employment.
“The economy today is not where we want it to be. It’s time to do something different,” Mayor Richard Berry said.
Berry was one of several speakers at a news conference arranged by teh Greater Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday. About 50 people attended, including representatives of local businesses, business organization, chambers of commerce from Rio Rancho, Belen, and the Hispano Chamber and Albuquerque Economic Development.
Berry said the bills are not an “affront” to unions. They don’t outlaw bargaining and don’t prevent unions from participating in the political process, but they do give employees the right to choose whether or not to join a union and pay fees.
Chamber President and CEO Terri Cole said her organization has supported such legislation previously  when it was introduced but failed to pass. Now that there is new leadership in the state House, the chamber plans to take a more active role in lobbying for the bills, Cole said.
Although Berry didn’t name any specific companies that did not come to New Mexico because it isn’t a right-to-work state, Gary Tonjes of Albuquerque Economic Development said site selectors he’s worked with say companies often won’t even consider locating in a non-right-to-work state.
“We don’t know whose lists we don’t get on and that’s the problem we’re trying to fix,” Cole said.
Before the news conference, Jon Hendry, president of the executive board of the New Mexico Federation of Labor, was skeptical that the bills would bring jobs.
“Right-to-work may or may not bring jobs in – that’s certainly subject to debate,” Hendry said, “What’s not open to debate is the jobs that you get are lower-paid jobs.”
Asked for a response at the news conference, Berry said studies have shown families in right-to-work states have higher earnings.
By: Rosalie Rayburn (Albuquerque Journal)
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