44TH LEGISLATURE - STATE OF NEW MEXICO - FIRST SESSION, 1999

REQUESTING ALL EMPLOYERS IN NEW MEXICO TO PROVIDE THEIR EMPLOYEES THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHOOSE WHETHER TO UNIONIZE FREE FROM INTIMIDATION OR COERCION.

WHEREAS, federal law protects employees' rights to form or join a union; and

WHEREAS, many employers interfere with their employees' efforts to exercise their right to unionize by threatening to close their facilities, fire union activists or retaliate against them; and

WHEREAS, employees are often deprived of an opportunity to choose a union because of intimidation or coercion; and

WHEREAS, employers often stall or delay the proceedings before the national labor relations board which is intended to provide employees an expeditious means of selecting a union to represent them; and

WHEREAS, unions provide employees with a voice, encourage job innovation and result in productivity growth; and

WHEREAS, unionized employees generally earn more than their non-union counterparts and therefore are better able to contribute to the economic vitality of New Mexico; and

WHEREAS, unions have contributed to the growth of democracy, the well-being of working families and to communities generally;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the efforts of working people in New Mexico to unionize be supported; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we call on all New Mexico employers to provide their employees the opportunity to choose whether to unionize, free from intimidation or coercion; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we call on all New Mexico employers to allow their employees to make the decision of whether to unionize by communicating neutrality regarding the choice; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that all New Mexico employers abide by their employees' decision to be represented by a union by engaging in card-checking elections and avoiding delays that accompany the union election processes; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be transmitted to the governor, the labor department, the economic development department and the legislature.