Dear Editor,
During the afternon of Feb. 14, our union, along with our union kin at AFSCME Council 18, Communication Workers of America – NM, and National Education Association – NM, stood shoulder to shoulder in the rotunda of the Roundhouse to call for legislators to restore the 1% raise that was included in the fiscal year 2027 budget by the House of Representatives, but unceremoniously stripped away by the Senate Finance Committee.
Union leaders and rank-and-file members not only called for “Restoring the Raise,” but also outlined the high numbers of state worker vacancies, diminished morale, and the day-to-day struggle for workers in this economic environment.
Since the removal of the raise for state workers was announced by Senate Finance Chairman George Muñoz Feb. 12, our unions have worked in solidarity to issue a join press statement, submit letters to the editor to New Mexico’s major publications, and hold a press conference in the Roundhouse rotunda to continue to advocate for the restoration of this cut.
Feb. 14’s press conference brought together voices from across New Mexico’s state workers – educators, scientists, public safety professionals, and more all outlined what a year without a raise meant to their members and more broadly, the nearly 100,000 workers our unions represent.
AFT New Mexico President Whitney Holland delivered comments about how legislative budgeting has become out of touch with the needs of the average New Mexico worker, saying, in part:
“What’s been especially troubling is the dismissive way this decision has been explained away. We’ve heard the argument that a raise would only amount to ‘like $26 a paycheck,’ as if that makes it insignificant. That framing says more about how disconnected budget conversations have become than it does about the value of the raise.”
We were also joined by several legislators who are standing with New Mexico workers in our fight to “Restore the Raise” including Rep. Joseph Hernandez, Rep. Kathleen Cates, Rep. Sarah Silva, Rep. Patricia Roybal Caballero, and Rep. Ray Lara, who spoke at our press conference.
Each of these legislators spoke of their strong support for labor and that they believe that there is enough funding to provide a raise for state workers.
Our union will continue to fight alongside our fellow unions for this raise to be put back into the budget until the end of the legislative session.
In Solidarity,
Whitney Holland, President of NM American Federation of Teachers
