Democracy for New Mexico

April 9: Equal Voices for America's Families Town Hall Meeting

From EVAF: Equal Voices for America's Families is a campaign for a family-led movement for social change. The goal is to change attitudes and policies affecting poor and working families. Over the next year, America will hear directly from families. Campaign members are hosting a series of town hall meetings across the US to develop and mobilize support for a national platform that addresses issues of concern identified by famlies. The campaign will also hold a national town hall in Los Angeles, Chicago and Birmingham on September 6, 2008.

EQUAL VOICES FOR AMERICA'S FAMILIES
ALBUQUERQUE TOWN HALL
APRIL 9, 2008, Registration begins at 5:30 PM
SOUTH BROADWAY Cultural Center, 1025 Broadway SE

Food, child care, and transportation available. For More info: Call Pat at 298-0577 at 6-9 PM or email at Phines44@aol.com.

Working together - we can change local, state and national policies to create a more just society. Representatives from ABQ Town Hall will be invited to Los Angeles. COME HAVE YOUR VOICE HEARD! Elected officals are invited to listen!

ABQ Campaign Endorsers: Marguerite Casey Foundation; United South Broadway Corp; Community Coalition for Health Care Access; Anti-Racisim Training Institute; Kalpulli Izkalli, La Colmena, Inc.; ABQ Neighborhood Action Group; Americans for Indian Opportunity; Isshin Ryu Club; St. Joseph Community Health; Inspired Leadership/KUNM; Church of God in Christ;  Ron Wallace, Fighting AIDS in the Homeland; African American Health and Social Services; Cuidando Los Ninos; St. Francis Parish; Jerry Ortiz Y Pino; HELP-New Mexico; St. Francis Xavier; Teresa Brito Asenap; APS Center of Extended Learning; James Lujan, Principal Eugene Field Elementary; IPCC/IPM; Southwest Organizing Project; Anjelica Anaya Allen, Senior Citizen Law Office; City of Albuquerque Office of Neighborhood Coordination; John Marshall Multi- Service Center; Dr. Callie Cone; West Central Communtity Development Group; Urban Indian Advocacy Program; God's Way Church; Health Action NM; Southwest Network for Economic and Environmental Justice; Chris Baca, YDI.

ADA Seeks Field Organizer for Local Working Families Win Project

From Americans for Democratic Action:
Americans for Democratic Action (ADA) is the nation’s most experienced independent advocacy organization whose lobbying philosophy is based on democratic action - motivating our grassroots members to lobby their Senators and Representatives as constituent-advocates.

Working Families Win is ADA’s community-based organizing project. The program is based on the belief that for working families across the country, the economy is not working. Good jobs continue to leave our communities and are replaced by lower wage jobs, often without benefits. Daily living costs are skyrocketing, yet wages for most workers are stagnant at best. Many of the workers who are suffering the most from the current economy are not meaningfully engaged in the political process.

Americans for Democratic Action believes that when working people are organized to support real alternatives to today's economic policies, demand that candidates support these alternatives too, and persuade their neighbors that we have a clear choice, real change will occur.

POSITION: WFW is looking for energetic self-starters to do local issue organizing. Candidates should have previous organizing experience in issue and/or candidate campaigns and a desire to help support progressive issues. Local ties a plus. This is a unique opportunity to play an integral role in a dynamic project. The position reports directly to the WFW project director and/or the national field coordinator.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Implement WFW field and outreach strategies in target communities, including grassroots lobbying actions, voter education campaigns, candidate “bird-dogging,” voter id, and GOTV.
• Build coalitions among allies and nontraditional constituencies to grow broad community support for the WFW agenda.
• Build, engage, and mobilize a network of activists to advance WFW’s national advocacy campaigns through local organizing efforts.
• Generate local media coverage on behalf of WFW.
• Coordinate local and regional activist skills trainings
• Help develop and execute direct actions in target areas
• Track and report campaign deliverables.

PROFESSIONAL REQUIREMENTS

• Previous organizing experience in electoral, issue and/or legislative campaigns.
• Experience engaging and motivating large numbers of volunteers.
• Experience working collaboratively with other organizations.
• Enjoy working under pressure and can think quickly on your feet.
• Work well independently, as part of a geographically dispersed team.
• Familiarity with and understanding of health care and economic issues
• Excellent organizational, verbal, written, and interpersonal skills
• Willingness and ability, including own transportation, to travel throughout the assigned project region

SALARY and BENEFITS
Competitive salary plus health care.

Available immediately through 11/30/08.

Interested parties should submit a cover letter, resume, and references to Don Kusler at wfwjobs@adaction.org.

Saturday: Celebrate César Chávez Day

From the Recuerda A César Chávez Committee: The 2008 César Chávez celebration in Albuquerque will take place on Saturday, March 29th. The theme of this year’s celebration –- “Celebrating the Past, Continuing the Struggle” -– is meant to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the long walk, highlight the importance of the Latino vote in the 2008 elections and to call for a César Chávez national holiday. We have a lot to celebrate, but realize that the struggle continues. Click for FLYER (pdf).

The day will begin at 9 AM at the Sanchez Farm (Lopez and Arenal) with a service learning project, including planting seeds and working the land. Bring a shovel! There will also be live music and a planting ceremony. At 11 AM we will then march from the Sanchez Farm to the National Hispanic Cultural Center (4th Street and Avenida César Chávez), where a rally and cultural celebration will be held from noon until 3 PM with speakers, poets, performances and live music. This year, our featured performance is the musical group Nosotros! Food will be available for purchase from La Fonda del Bosque Restaurant. Learn more.

What You May Not Know About Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Note: Rep. Tom Udall (NM-03) will offer remarks and State Treasurer James Lewis will deliver the keynote address during King holiday celebrations at the state Capitol today at 1:00 PM. The event, organized by Santa Fe's chapter of the NAACP, will also feature music and other speakers who will highlight King's support for higher wages and better conditions for working men and women.

From the War on Greed campaign and Brave New Films: Today we honor Dr. King's birthday. We all know him because of his historic impact on civil rights, but many don't realize that later in life he fought just as passionately for the rights of workers and against the entrenched institutions of injustice.

"Equality means dignity. And dignity demands a job and a paycheck that lasts through the week."

The War On Greed is exactly this kind of fight. The livelihoods of families have been directly attacked by the actions of buyout billionaires like Henry Kravis putting Wall Street's special interests ahead of his 800,000 employees... and pocketing $51,000 an hour in the process.

The first step must be taxing these buyout billionaires at a fair tax rate. It will not solve all the problems, but it is a strong and forceful beginning. With the presidential campaigns underway, it is the perfect time to force this issue into the campaigns the way we did with Wal-Mart and Iraq for Sale.

As our friend Rev. Yearwood, leader of the Hip Hop Caucus, has said: "We are facing a lunch counter moment for the 21st century."

Please join us at our virtual lunch counter by signing the petition to presidential candidates demanding they pledge to close the loopholes and tax the tax dodgers. Buyout billionaires are a menace to our economy. People are hurting, badly, and we must take beginning steps to bring the issue of corporate greed and economic equality to the nation's attention.

NM-Sen: AFSCME Unanimously Endorses Tom Udall

From AFSCME New Mexico PEOPLE:

Candidate's Experience and Strong Record Drive Decision
Albuquerque, NM -- The American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, which represents over 12,000 city, county, and state employees, has endorsed Congressman Tom Udall for United States Senate. AFSCME is fully dedicated to putting all of its resources to use to make sure Congressman Udall is representing New Mexico as our next U.S. Senator.

On Tuesday evening, AFSCME New Mexico's PEOPLE (political action) Committee voted unanimously to endorse Congressman Udall because he has a strong track record of fighting for New Mexico's workers and has the experience we need.

"Tom is a once-in-a-lifetime elected official. He is the type of person that we never have to second guess where he stands on workers issues.  He has always been with labor and we are very thankful for that," said AFSCME Executive Director Lawrence Rodriquez.

PEOPLE committee member and State employee Christine Serrano added "Congressman Udall has been a wonderful representative for all of us in northern New Mexico.  We are going to miss him as our Representative, but we all know he will make a great U.S. Senator."

Click to visit Rep. Tom Udall's campaign website.

To read our previous coverage of this race, visit our archive.

NM-01: AFSCME Unanimously Endorses Martin Heinrich

From AFSCME New Mexico's PEOPLE:

Candidate’s Commitment to Working Families Wins Endorsement
Albuquerque, NM – The American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, which represents over 12,000 city, county, and state employees, has endorsed Martin Heinrich for New Mexico’s First Congressional District. On Tuesday evening, AFSCME New Mexico’s PEOPLE (political action) Committee voted unanimously to endorse Heinrich because he has consistently stood with the hard working people of New Mexico.

“Politicians always seem to talk the talk, but Martin walks the walk.  He cares about the hard working people of this state and has always fought by our side” said AFSCME President Andrew Padilla.

PEOPLE committee member and water utility employee Maria Gallegos added “When city employees made the transition to the water authority, Martin made sure everyone would be taken care of and not a single employee would fall through the cracks.  This is the type of person we need in Washington.  Someone that will make sure New Mexico doesn’t fall through the cracks.”

Click to visit Heinrich's campaign website. If you make a donation before midnight on December 31, 2007, you'll get a chance to win a lunch with Martin Heinrich at Albuquerque's Scalo restaurant.

To see our previous coverage of this race, visit our archive.

11.15.07: NLRB Protest and Rally in Support of Working Families

The Bush National Labor Relations Board has to be made accountable for their actions. You can read about the NLRB's recent actions against working people here. Join the rally in support of working families. The New Mexico Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO will host a big NLRB protest on November 15th regarding the most anti-union decisions ever issued in the history of Organized Labor! The rally will be held at 12:00 Noon on the corner of 5th and Marquette (the front of the NLRB Albuquerque). We invite you, your friends and family to attend this Noon rally. Please put it on your calendar. More details will follow. This decision by NLRB is very anti-union and very anti-organizing!!!

505-262-2629 NMFL, AFL-CIO office
505-266-6638 American Federation of Teachers NM office
Christine Trujillo, cvtrujil@msn.com

We Can't Make It Here Anymore: Labor Day Edition

The mood of the country this Labor Day seems ripe for a little James McMurtry. A house of cards collapsing in on itself because of crooked deals and unpayable debt. "Free" trade robber barons piling up their tax-free bloat. Criminals in the board rooms and government and K Street. We're entrenched in one corporate quagmire war, while another threatens as Bush plots ways to attack Iran. Oh, and here's what our Democratic "leaders" are saying about continuing funding for Iraq. Happy Labor Day 2007. Think I'll head to the mountains, for some grounding.

Labor Day Weekend: Remember the Meaning

I'm finding it hard to believe that Labor Day Weekend is here already. Where did the Summer go? Thankfully, New Mexico usually has absolutely exquisite Fall weather so our outdoor activities will actually pick up here as the monsoon rains start fading. As we celebrate the holiday weekend at fun events, let's remember the real meaning of Labor Day. For starters, check out a handful of posts on the AFL-CIO Now blog that examine the origins and history of Labor Day.

This Labor Day, I find myself thinking about these historical quotes and, unfortunately, how much they apply to today's situation:

Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed. This world in arms is not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children. This is not a way of life at all in any true sense. Under the clouds of war, it is humanity hanging on a cross of iron. -- Dwight Eisenhower 1953 speech

No business which depends for existence on paying less than living wages to its workers has any right to continue in this country. By living wages I mean more than a bare subsistence level–I mean the wages of decent living. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt

If any man tells you he loves America, yet hates labor, he is a liar. If any man tells you he trusts America, yet fears labor, he is a fool. -- Abraham Lincoln

Workers of the world awaken. Break your chains, demand your rights. All the wealth you make is taken, by exploiting parasites. Shall you kneel in deep submission from your cradle to your grave. Is the height of your ambition to be a good and willing slave? -- Joe Hill, from the song “Workers of the World Awaken”

While at YearlyKos in Chicago this month, we attended a rally sponsored by the Teamsters union designed to encourage the forces of the netroots and labor to work together in a big way. Check out the video to hear Markos and Teamsters General President James Hoffa underline what we have in common and why we need to work together for change -- including holding every Democratic candidate accountable to working people. Gov. Bill Richardson was one of the Dem presidential candidates who spoke at the Teamsters rally and you can see that here.

I can't help but ponder the damage done to the interests of working people by the Bush administration as discussed in a piece by AFSCME's international president Gerald McEntee on Huffington Post. Excerpt:

From the time George Bush was appointed by the Supreme Court in 2000, college tuition has shot up 56 percent. The cost of gasoline has gone up 107 percent. Forty-seven million Americans -- nearly 16 percent of our nation -- don't have health insurance. Almost 37 million Americans live below the poverty line. Corporate profits have gone up, while income for working Americans has gone down. Home foreclosures are increasing at a record rate. Pensions are at risk as employers break their promises to employees. Bush's tax cuts have not benefited those most in need of them -- working families -- but the billionaires who are his loyal supporters.

The fact is that the people whose labor has fueled our nation's economy have suffered greatly under George Bush.

The latest outrage? Action prompted by the Bush administration to allow Mexican trucks to carry goods on American roads. That way, we can put even more people out of work or at least lower their pay, concepts to which Bush seems supremely dedicated.

TONIGHT on Espejos: Workers' Rights at UNM Hospital

From Javier Benavidez:
Check out KUNM 89.9FM radio tonight, Monday July 30th, at 8:00 PM for a half-hour live interview with Eleanor Chavez, Director of District 1199 of the NM National Union of Hospital and Health Care Employees. The Union has been fighting to negotiate a living wage for the University of New Mexico Hospital's 1200 support staff, which includes housekeepers, nursing assistants, dietary workers, clerical, medical assistants, etc. The Union also represents licensed and technical workers. In all, District 1199NM represents 2500 workers at UNMH.

Ironically, many support staff at the hospital earn so little that they themselves are forced to apply for state medicaid benefits. The Union is organizing a picket in front of the hospital on the morning of Friday, August 3rd, at 6:30 AM, urging UNMH to negotiate in good faith and to end conditions that organizers say have included economic oppression and racism against the affected workers.

Espejos de Aztlan has been on-air since 1979 and is part of the Raices Colectiva which conducts programming on news, culture and music from a Latino perspective on KUNM 89.9. For more information or to submit input about the Espejos de Aztlan, please visit the "Raices" link at https://kunm.org/culture.