Two right-to-work bills tabled in Senate committee

A Senate committee blocked the passage of two right-to-work bills on Tuesday evening. The Senate Public Affairs Committee voted to table two different bills aimed at barring employers from requiring union payments as a term of employment and from unions and employers agreeing to ‘fair share’ agreements from non-union workers who benefit from union negotiations. […]

Two right-to-work bills tabled in Senate committee

A Senate committee blocked the passage of two right-to-work bills on Tuesday evening.

Roundhouse Rotunda

The Senate Public Affairs Committee voted to table two different bills aimed at barring employers from requiring union payments as a term of employment and from unions and employers agreeing to ‘fair share’ agreements from non-union workers who benefit from union negotiations.

The committee heard HB 75 from Rep. Dennis Roch, R-Logan, and SB 183 from Sen. William Sharer, R-Farmington. Roch’s bill went through a series of highly-attended committee meetings in the House and a House floor vote. This was the first committee for Sharer’s bill.

Committee members already heard public comment in a hearing on Saturday, so Tuesday’s meeting was solely devoted to debate from the members.

Roch told the panel that his bill was not intended to solve the state’s economic problems, but instead to give workers the freedom to choose whether or not to join a union. He also noted that his bill has a minimum wage increase tied to it. He deemed the relation between the two topics as a “win-win situation.”

Sharer echoed Roch’s sentiment and told the committee that his intention was to merely give workers a choice. He added that he has seen businesses provide high level training to employees without union influences.

An example he gave was The School of Energy at San Juan College in northwest New Mexico. According to its website, the school offers classes related to the oil and gas industry and occupational safety.

“That was created by business, not unions,” Sharer said.

Sen. Ron Griggs, R-Alamogordo, told the two sponsors and the panel that when he was the mayor of Alamogordo, during budget cuts, he witnessed unions force out some employees in order to mitigate the financial burden on other employees. He added that he pushed for unpaid leave for employees, but the union decided on job cuts instead.

He said that it was not the workers that decided on job cuts, but instead, “It was because of the representatives that represented the union for the city.

The other two Republican members of the committee raised concerns about being forced to pay into unions and where fair share payments go.

Sen. Craig Brandt, R-Rio Rancho, said his wife was forced to join a union in another state in order to work as a cashier at a grocery store and her dues were used to support political causes she did not agree with. He said he does not think people should be forced to pay into something they do not agree with.

“I think that is inherently unfair,” Brandt said.

Democratic members argued that the legislation was a thinly veiled attempt to lower wages and is not a good fit for the New Mexico.

Sen. Mimi Stewart, D-Albuquerque, told the sponsors that she sees unions as an important part of stimulating the economy.

“Unions create jobs, unions create wages and unions create working conditions,” Stewart said.

After debate, Brandt made a ‘do not pass’ motion, a last-ditch effort to move the legislation on to the next committee. After two failed attempts by Brandt, the committee voted to table both bills on two different party-line votes.

In a written statement from the House Republican press office, Roch said he was disappointed by the vote and that “It’s a sad day for New Mexico’s workers.”

 

We're ad free

That means that we rely on support from readers like you. Help us keep reporting on the most important New Mexico Stories by donating today.

Related

Emily’s List endorses seven candidates for Legislature

Emily’s List endorses seven candidates for Legislature

Emily’s List, a nonprofit that supports women candidates and reproductive rights, endorsed seven incumbents facing general election opponents in New Mexico legislative elections. All…
Equality New Mexico endorses 15 legislative candidates

Equality New Mexico endorses 15 legislative candidates

A New Mexico-based LGBTQ rights organization endorsed 15 candidates for state House and Senate seats for the 2024 elections.  Marshall Martinez, executive director of…
Lujan Grisham pocket vetoes two bills

Lujan Grisham pocket vetoes two bills

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham pocket vetoed two bills the legislature passed this legislative session: one changing the Cybersecurity Act and the other concerning law…
BLM announces final methane waste rule

BLM announces final methane waste rule

The federal Bureau of Land Management announced its final methane waste rule on Wednesday. These new regulations clamp down on the practice of venting…
What consumers, farmers should know about the flu impacting dairy cows

What consumers, farmers should know about the flu impacting dairy cows

Migrating birds appear to have caused a virus in dairy cattle that is causing reduced milk production. So far, the disease, which initially started…
Republicans seek to limit national monument designations

Republicans seek to limit national monument designations

Republican-backed legislation in the U.S. Congress would make it harder for the government to designate new national monuments. The proposed Congressional Oversight of the…
Amid new graduation requirements, what do high schoolers want to learn?

Amid new graduation requirements, what do high schoolers want to learn?

By Margaret O’Hara, The Santa Fe New Mexican The main things that bring Brayan Chavez to school every day: Seeing, talking to and engaging with…
Special ed teachers hope lawmakers OK pay raises, admin changes

Special ed teachers hope lawmakers OK pay raises, admin changes

By Margaret O’Hara, The Santa Fe New Mexican Brittany Behenna Griffith has a laundry list of adjectives to describe the ideal special education teacher:…
Lawmakers must find consensus on competing education spending plans

Lawmakers must find consensus on competing education spending plans

By Margaret O’Hara, The Santa Fe New Mexican A challenging task awaits New Mexico lawmakers in the next 30 days: Reconciling three very different…
Health workers fear it’s profits before protection as CDC revisits airborne transmission

Health workers fear it’s profits before protection as CDC revisits airborne transmission

Amy Maxmen, KFF Health News Four years after hospitals in New York City overflowed with covid-19 patients, emergency physician Sonya Stokes remains shaken by…
Lujan Grisham, Biden admin announce $10 million in federal funds for tribes, pueblos

Lujan Grisham, Biden admin announce $10 million in federal funds for tribes, pueblos

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced Friday $10 million in funding from the federal American Rescue Plan Act was awarded to six tribal nations and…
Proposal to curb executive powers moves to House Judiciary

Proposal to curb executive powers moves to House Judiciary

The House Government, Elections and Indian Affairs Committee discussed a potential constitutional amendment that seeks to limit the governor’s executive powers. The committee approved…
U.S. Supreme Court hears case to restrict access to medication abortion

U.S. Supreme Court hears case to restrict access to medication abortion

The U.S. Supreme Court heard the case about the regulations around mifepristone, one of a two-step regime for abortion medication, on Tuesday. FDA v.…
At stake in mifepristone case: Abortion, FDA’s authority, and return to 1873 obscenity law

At stake in mifepristone case: Abortion, FDA’s authority, and return to 1873 obscenity law

Lawyers from the conservative Christian group that won the case to overturn Roe v. Wade are returning to the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday in pursuit…
Supreme Court to hear two abortion cases this spring

Supreme Court to hear two abortion cases this spring

Later this month, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on the case against the abortion medication mifepristone. It will hear a second…
New Mexico Medicaid to cover cost of over-the-counter oral contraception

New Mexico Medicaid to cover cost of over-the-counter oral contraception

New Mexico Medicaid announced on Wednesday that it will cover the cost of Opill, the first oral contraception approved for over-the-counter use. It is…
U.S. Supreme Court hears case to restrict access to medication abortion

U.S. Supreme Court hears case to restrict access to medication abortion

The U.S. Supreme Court heard the case about the regulations around mifepristone, one of a two-step regime for abortion medication, on Tuesday. FDA v.…
At stake in mifepristone case: Abortion, FDA’s authority, and return to 1873 obscenity law

At stake in mifepristone case: Abortion, FDA’s authority, and return to 1873 obscenity law

Lawyers from the conservative Christian group that won the case to overturn Roe v. Wade are returning to the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday in pursuit…
San Juan County, Navajo Nation settle redistricting case

San Juan County, Navajo Nation settle redistricting case

The Navajo Nation and San Juan County reached an agreement Monday about commission districts after the tribe alleged that its members were not adequately…
MIT ranks NM elections most well-run in the U.S.

MIT ranks NM elections most well-run in the U.S.

New Mexico’s 2022 election was ranked most well-run in the country by Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Election Data and Science Lab’s Elections Performance Index.…
Emily’s List endorses seven candidates for Legislature

Emily’s List endorses seven candidates for Legislature

Emily’s List, a nonprofit that supports women candidates and reproductive rights, endorsed seven incumbents facing general election opponents in New Mexico legislative elections. All…
BLM announces final methane waste rule

BLM announces final methane waste rule

The federal Bureau of Land Management announced its final methane waste rule on Wednesday. These new regulations clamp down on the practice of venting…
U.S. Supreme Court hears case to restrict access to medication abortion

U.S. Supreme Court hears case to restrict access to medication abortion

The U.S. Supreme Court heard the case about the regulations around mifepristone, one of a two-step regime for abortion medication, on Tuesday. FDA v.…
What consumers, farmers should know about the flu impacting dairy cows

What consumers, farmers should know about the flu impacting dairy cows

Migrating birds appear to have caused a virus in dairy cattle that is causing reduced milk production. So far, the disease, which initially started…

GET INVOLVED

© 2023 New Mexico Political Report