Dear CNM Employees Union Members:
The CNM Employees Union offers educators and instructional support staff at CNM an opportunity to influence the decisions of management. In the modern era as colleges are more often run like businesses rather than educational institutions, the CNM Employees Union may well be the only dissenting voice management is willing to hear. The Collective Bargaining Agreements the Union has negotiated cover all faculty and instructional support staff at CNM and labor law compels CNM management to respond to grievances voiced through the union grievance process.
This year we have seen attacks on benefits, job security, and even the way we teach and tutor. As a result, the Union has filed grievances to protect the rights of tutors and faculty. I urge each of you to read your contracts carefully. They are available on the CNMEU.org website. Communicate with any member of the Union’s Executive Council if you feel your rights have been violated and ask a Union representative to accompany you to meetings with CNM administration, whether those meetings involve Human Resources or supervisors. The Union cannot defend you if it does not know about your problems.
Finally, your Union officers also want to hear from you if you think the Union is doing something right. And, we encourage you to share stories about Union actions with your colleagues. The Union can only grow if you actively support the Union’s work and efforts. Ask newly hired ISU and faculty to join the Union and tell them why you are a member. As New Mexico struggles with budget woes those problems affecting faculty and support staff at CNM will continue and we want to be ready and able to defend your rights. Add your voice and your energy to these struggles and remember, we are stronger together.
In Solidarity,
Nawana Salimbeni, CNM Employees Union President