We have plenty to share before Election Day, including details about union-backed candidates, promising 80/20 healthcare updates, and an invitation to participate in our budgeting process. You’ll also find upcoming events down below. Happy Monday!
Election Day
Tomorrow is Election Day! If you haven’t voted yet, you can still vote either on or near all of the UNM campuses. See the attachment for AFT’s list of union-endorsed candidates, and down below, find voting locations near UNM branches. You can also look up voting locations here.
- Albuquerque: University of New Mexico Student Union Building, Louie’s Lounge (Albuquerque, NM, 87131)
- Gallup: UNM Gallup Branch Gymnasium (705 Gurley Ave, Gallup, NM 87301)
- Los Alamos: UNM Los Alamos, Building 2, Rm. 230 (4000 University Drive, Los Alamos, NM 87544)
- Taos: Ranchos Elementary School (200 Sanders Lane, Ranchos de Taos, NM 87557)
- Valencia: Tome Dominguez de Mendoza Community Center, (2933 NM Hwy 47, Los Lunas, NM, 87031
Finance Survey
At our last General Membership Meeting, UA-UNM members gave some feedback about how our union could spend its money in next year’s budget. Now, we need to hear from YOU!
The input from this survey will directly inform how your union’s budget is drafted. The goal is to make a budget democratically and in a way which reflects the priorities of members. Please take a moment to fill it out.
Meaningful 80/20 Progress
At Friday’s (10/30) Northern New Mexico College (NNMC) Board of Regents meeting, the president of the Northern Federation of Educational Employees (AFT NFEE, Local 4935) asked the Board to support our collective 80/20 legislative work. During the meeting, NNMC President Balderas stated that the New Mexico Council of University Presidents (NMCUP) is advocating for 80/20. Additionally, the Board’s Chair Michael Martin added that the Higher Education Regents Coalition (HERC) is also advocating for 80/20.
Both statements are public record, and it’s a meaningful sign that our efforts have support from statewide public college leadership and coalitions working on behalf of higher ed. We’ll keep you updated as the legislative work moves forward.
In the meantime, you can participate in this fight. As we near the 2027 legislative session, it’s a great time to write your legislators about how the high cost of healthcare has impacted you.
Here’s how to take action:
- Start with our template letter.
- Make it your own. Add your experience, such as a bill you struggled to pay, a treatment you delayed, or a difficult financial choice you had to make. Personal stories are what legislators remember.
- Find your legislators. Look them up and get their email addresses at the NM Legislature’s Find My Legislator page.
- Send your letter.
Remembering Dolores Huerta
UA-UNM commemorates Dolores Huerta, who passed away last week.
Pic of Dolores Huerta by Tom Hilton, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Huerta, who was born in New Mexico, was a trailblazing labor activist whose courageous work spanned decades. Huerta was essential to the formation and strength of the United Farmworkers (UFW). She also was a crusading activist, speaking out for civil rights, democracy, and feminist causes.
UA-UNM seeks to honor her legacy by fighting hard for working people – at UNM and in our community.
Friday the 13th Coffee Social
Banish your worries and join us for beverages and spooky crafts on Friday, November 13th from 5-7pm at Little Bear Coffee in Nob Hill. Please register so we have enough haunting crafts for everyone.
Recurring Meetings and More Events!
Thursday, November 5th, 9:00-10:00am – Communications Committee Meeting – all campuses on Zoom
Join us to help share information with our members through weekly email updates, social media, our website, and union events.
Email info@uaunm.org for the Zoom link and password.
Thursday, November 5th, 3:30-5:00pm – Organizing Committee Meeting – all campuses on Zoom
Help build our membership and train new leaders through organizing events and workshops.
Email organizing@uaunm.org for the Zoom link and password.
Friday, November 13th 5-7pm, Coffee Social Hour
Mark your calendars for a UA-UNM Friday the 13th social hour at Little Bear Coffee in Nob Hill. Additional details to follow.
Wednesday, December 9th 4-6pm, Amalie Coffee
Mark your calendars for a UA-UNM finals week coffee social hour at Amalie Coffee across from Albuquerque Campus. Additional details to follow.
Union Quote of the Week:
“Well, the reason voting is important is because we, by voting, we elect the people that are going to govern us. We elect the people that are going to pass the laws that we have to live by. And when we’re talking about the labor movement, and this is why I mentioned earlier, this is so important to get labor people in the legislature and in the Congress.
Because the corporations are very, very powerful, as we’re seeing right now, how powerful the corporations are, and the only way that we can push back against them is by getting people to pass laws that will contain them and hold them back a little bit, and pass laws that will help working people, but we can only do that if we vote. If we don’t vote, then the bosses have their way, and the workers don’t, don’t have any voice at all.“
– Dolores Huerta
