Last week, New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham signed H.B. 364 into law. The labor law reform bill strengthens collective bargaining rights for New Mexican public sector workers by reducing delays in union elections, protecting concerted activities like circulating petitions and talking to coworkers about wages, and more.

"CWA members are grateful to Governor Lujan Grisham and all the state elected officials who got this bill passed to modernize and strengthen collective bargaining rights for New Mexico's public sector workers," said CWA District 7 Vice President Brenda Roberts. "All workers should have the right to join a union without intimidation, and this bill is an important step in achieving that goal for New Mexicans."

CWA members nationwide are mobilizing to pass the Public Service Freedom to Negotiate Act, which addresses the unique challenges that public service workers face when they want to join a union. This bill, introduced by Congressional Democrats, establishes a right to join a union for public service workers and sets a minimum nationwide standard of public service worker collective bargaining rights that all governmental bodies including states, counties, and cities must provide.

The NewsGuild-CWA is calling on the country's major corporate newspaper chains to commit to a set of ground rules that will ensure free and fair union elections for their employees.

Journalists at 10 news publications around the country, owned by national chains, including Gannett, McClatchy, and Tribune Publishing, recently announced union drives. Employees at each publication requested voluntary recognition. In each of the campaigns, the employer refused to offer voluntary recognition, forcing a four-week waiting period for an election.

During these waiting periods, employers typically retain high-priced consultants to conduct campaigns of intimidation, disinformation, and emotional manipulation. The purpose of these anti-union campaigns is to convince employees to vote against joining a union and prevent them from securing collective bargaining rights.

A December 2019 report by the Economic Policy Institute found that American employers spend an estimated $340 million annually on "union avoidance" firms to attempt to crush union elections. Consultants often report being paid $350 per hour or more, with some earning as much as $2,500 per day.

Alex Driehaus, a photojournalist for the Naples Daily News, said, "We want our members to be able to make an informed decision without fear of retribution, and we expect our management to maintain an environment where that is possible."

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