AFSCME Council 18

10/08/2026

AFSCME NEW MEXICO LAUNCHES STATE AGENCY REPORT CARD

AFSCME union members working for the State of New Mexico will soon receive a State Agency Report Card by email—and we want to hear from you!

Your feedback tells your union what is really happening in your department—where things are going well, where improvements are needed, and whether employees are being treated fairly and with respect.

The union can advocate most effectively when we hear directly from the people on the ground—the employees actually doing the work every day.

So when you receive the email, please take a few minutes to fill out the Report Card and return it. Your voice matters, and your feedback helps us fight for stronger, fairer workplaces for all State employees, and better services for the citizens of the great State of New Mexico!

10/06/2026

10/03/2026

STRONG STEWARDS. STRONG UNION.

AFSCME New Mexico kicked off its quarterly Steward Training today in Santa Fe, bringing together state and city employees from across New Mexico—and AFSCME Local 449 members who traveled from Tucson, Arizona, to join us!

On Day One, members dug into the critical role union stewards play in the workplace. Stewards are often the first point of contact for their coworkers—listening to concerns, learning what is happening on the job, helping solve problems, enforcing our contracts, and keeping members informed and engaged.

The training continues through Saturday as these members build the skills and knowledge they need to be strong workplace leaders. Even young Luna (pictured among the New Mexico and Arizona activists) says any age is a good age to get involved!

AFSCME is strong because of talented, committed activists like these who step up to serve their coworkers and build their union!

📅 So — are you ready to become a strong engaged union leader? Our next Steward Training will be December 11–12 at the AFSCME Lujan Union Hall, in Albuquerque. Join us!

Register at AFSCME18.org under the Calendar tab.

Get trained. Get involved. Build union power!

10/02/2026

NM HCA EMPLOYEES: YOU SHOULD KNOW WHAT VACATION DATES ARE AVAILABLE BECAUSE YOU EARNED THEM

Right now, the New Mexico Health Care Authority (HCA) does not have one clear vacation calendar across offices showing which dates are already approved and which are still available. This has been an ongoing issue for more than a year.

Union members deserve to easily plan time off for themselves, their families, and their friends, and to make travel arrangements without fear of losing their purchase.

AFSCME New Mexico wants your ideas: What kind of shared calendar or scheduling system would solve this problem? HCA management says they are zeroing in on a system, but we’ve heard that several times already. It cannot be that complicated!

Comment below or talk to your AFSCME steward or representative. Let’s bring employee-driven solutions to HCA together.

Our vacation time is earned. Our voices matter.

Let us know your thoughts!

09/19/2026

BOSQUE FARMS POLICE DEPARTMENT UNIONIZES WITH AFSCME NEW MEXICO

Public Safety Employees Secure a Collective Voice; First Contract Negotiations Are Next

BOSQUE FARMS, N.M. — Police officers and employees of the Village of Bosque Farms Police Department have officially unionized with AFSCME New Mexico, securing a collective voice on wages, benefits, working conditions, workplace protections, and the resources they need to serve their community.

On July 14, 2026, the New Mexico Public Employee Labor Relations Board issued its Order affirming the Certification of Representation of the bargaining unit, formally recognizing AFSCME New Mexico as the employees’ union representative.

“This is a significant victory for the officers of the Bosque Farms Police Department,” said Connie Derr, Deputy Director of AFSCME New Mexico. “Public safety employees take on tremendous responsibility every day. They deserve a meaningful voice in the decisions that affect their jobs, their families, their safety, and their ability to protect the community. By standing together, these employees now have that voice.”

The organizing victory marks the beginning of the next important phase: negotiating a first collective bargaining agreement with the Village of Bosque Farms.

AFSCME New Mexico and the newly organized employees will begin preparing bargaining priorities and proposals for negotiations. A first contract can establish enforceable standards covering wages, benefits, hours and working conditions, due process, workplace safety, and other terms and conditions of employment.

“Unionizing means employees no longer have to address workplace issues individually—they can address them together,” Derr said. “Now we turn our attention to the bargaining table and the work of negotiating a strong first contract that recognizes the professionalism and essential public service these employees provide.”

The Bosque Farms employees join thousands of AFSCME-represented public employees across New Mexico who have organized to strengthen their voice at work and improve the public services their communities depend upon.

ABOUT AFSCME New Mexico

AFSCME New Mexico represents public service workers throughout New Mexico. Its members work in state and local government and provide many of the essential services New Mexicans rely upon every day, including public safety, corrections, transportation, sanitation, health and human services, and numerous other public services. AFSCME is a national union with more than 1.4 million members.

09/11/2026

AFSCME UNION WORKERS RECOGNIZED IN HISTORIC SILVER CITY PROCLAMATION! ✊

A proud evening for AFSCME union workers - and all union workers - in Southwest New Mexico!

AFSCME members from Local 2516 – Grant County, Local 3882 – WNMU, Local 3370 – Town of Silver City, and Local 3973 – State Employees came together along with other strong labor unions on September 8 as the Town of Silver City presented a proclamation recognizing “Union Workers Recognition Week,” September 7 - 11, 2026.

The proclamation calls upon residents, employers, public institutions, community organizations, and civic leaders to recognize the contributions union workers have made to the community; honor the sacrifices of generations of organized workers and their families; preserve the rich labor history of Silver City and the surrounding mining district; and reaffirm the dignity, value, and importance of all working people.

This first-of-its-kind recognition of union workers in Southwest New Mexico is especially meaningful. Thank you to Councilor Angela Salaiz for advocating for the proclamation and helping bring this recognition forward.

You can watch the reading of the proclamation on YouTube at the link below, fast forward to minute 5:22: through 12:40:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GmmB1XfwXWs

Our hope is that Union Workers Recognition Week becomes a tradition in Silver City and inspires other communities and institutions across New Mexico to recognize the working people who keep our communities running every day.

Members left the meeting recognized, empowered, and united—and ready to keep standing together. Each of these bargaining units is currently fighting for better wages, benefits, and working conditions at the negotiating table.

Different workplaces. Different jobs. One union. One voice.

When workers stand together, we are stronger. When we fight, we win! ✊💚

08/11/2026

CYFD’S REVOLVING DOOR WON’T STOP UNTIL BAD MANAGEMENT DOES

How many dedicated employees have to leave CYFD before the administration admits there is a management problem?

Experienced workers who have poured their hearts and souls into CYFD’s mission are leaving, or being forced out. Probationary employees are walking away—or being pushed out—before completing their first year. Yet instead of addressing why workers are leaving, or possible candidates not even applying, management continues to rely on punishment, threats, and unrealistic expectations, fostering a toxic work environment. 

The examples speak for themselves: An employee threatened with losing the 1% wage increase for not signing a last-minute evaluation that was without merit. Another disciplined after simply offering to raise the U.S. flag when a coworker was going to be late. An employee disciplined for a management created client privacy breach.

And when AFSCME raised concerns about workers’ potential exposure to fentanyl while doing their jobs, CYFD was more concerned that the union raised the issue than with addressing it. AFSCME refused to back down. CYFD has now agreed to develop worker-safety protocols.

There are many good lower level supervisors and managers at CYFD—but the overall management culture must change. From the Office of the Secretary to the departments of Employee Relations and Human Resources, a healthy workplace is not top of mind, or even in the middle.

The amount of resources that CYFD spends to investigate and discipline workers for issues that in any normal work place would never rise to even counseling, could better be spent hiring investigators and social workers. This is abuse of taxpayer money.

CYFD workers already perform incredibly difficult, emotionally demanding work protecting New Mexico’s children and families. They should not have to come to work under a constant cloud of fear about the next discipline, evaluation, or threat to their livelihood.

AFSCME will continue fighting baseless discipline and unjust terminations and demanding safe working conditions, due process, dignity, and respect.

CYFD WORKERS ARE NOT THE PROBLEM.

CYFD must stop driving good employees out the door. Stop managing through fear.

This CYFD management culture is wrong for New Mexico.

We are counting on the legislature and all elected leaders to support change in CYFD. It’s broken at the top and no amount of glue can fix it.

08/10/2026

💚 Building Union Power: AFSCME New Mexico ELITE Stewards in Action!

Nearly three dozen AFSCME members from across New Mexico—from Silver City to Clayton, state government to local government—came together August 7–8 at the AFSCME Lujan Union Hall in Albuquerque for our Summer 2026 ELITE Steward Training.

The two-day training was led by talented AFSCME New Mexico Member Educators Kevin Touchton, Victoria Leonard, Gary Slate and Heather Wright.

Members sharpened the skills they need to be strong frontline union leaders: understanding and enforcing collective bargaining agreements; grievance fact-finding, writing and presentation; communicating with the bargaining unit; growing membership and building workplace power; engaging workers in political action; and much more.

These frontline union warriors now join several hundred skilled AFSCME stewards across New Mexico who stand up every day for their coworkers, their contracts and strong public services.

Want to join them? Our next AFSCME ELITE Steward Training is October 2–3 at the AFSCME Santa Fe office. Visit the AFSCME New Mexico website to register for trainings and other activities.

Get trained. Get involved. Build power. Be the union!

08/01/2026

Stand Together for Albuquerque's Public Services!

AFSCME City of Albuquerque Union members—your voice matters!

Join us Monday, August 3, at 5:00 p.m. at the Albuquerque City Council Chambers to support the proposed Gross Receipts Tax increase that helps fund the essential public services our community depends on every day—and supports the dedicated public employees who deliver them.

As AFSCME Locals 624, 1888, 2962, and 3022 stand united in contract negotiations for better wages, it's more important than ever that we show City leaders — Mayor Keller and City Council — we're united in our commitment to strong public services and the workers who make Albuquerque happen. Pass the Gross Receipts Tax Now!

Stand with your union. Stand up for public services. See you Monday at 5:00 p.m.!