The Democratic Party of New Mexico announced Friday that its staff unionized as part of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Local Lodge 794.

DPNM began the unionization process in 2022.

The unionization includes a collective bargaining agreement that codifies workplace standards at DPNM including salary ranges, pay periods, work schedules, job descriptions, time off, grievance procedures and seniority protections, a press release about the unionization states.

“Although the Democratic Party has always maintained strong connections to the structure and ideals of the Organized Labor Movement, DPNM staff has never unionized before, making this long overdue,” DPNM Communications Director and Staff Union Steward Daniel Garcia said in a press release. “As staff, we hope this will strengthen the Party by making it a more reliable and overall better workplace that can withstand changes in Party leadership or internal party politics to bolster institutional knowledge and incentivize working here, leading to better work and sustained victories for years to come. All parties involved in these negotiations feel we did this responsibly, informed by our political experiences and understanding of DPNM’s needs.”

Other collective bargaining agreement provisions included:

• Protection of political freedom to exercise First Amendment rights to freely express personal opinions and participate in political activities on personal time and social media without repercussion
• Prohibiting artificial intelligence “AI” from replacing human labor
• Family Medical, Bereavement, Parental, Personal Leaves
• Health Insurance
• An optional 401k retirement plan with an employer match 

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The agreement was adopted with a special memorandum of understanding concerning seasonal campaign employees.

IAMAW Local Lodge 794 President Directing Business Representative Ashley Long will serve as the union representative and contact for the DPNM staff while DPNM Communications Director Daniel Garcia will serve as the first DPNM workplace Union Steward and Isaiah Baca will be Alternate Steward, the press release stated. 

“I think we covered a lot of bases with our Collective Bargaining Agreement that provide responsible protections for staff and strengthen DPNM as a workplace,” Baca said in the press release. “It’s great to see the Party finally fully living up to its pro-Labor values.” 

DPNM offered its “unironic support and nonpartisan willingness to help the Republican Party of New Mexico staff unionize,” the press release stated.

The NM Political Report reached out to RPNM for comment but did not immediately hear back.