NM Labor Boards - Updates

Some days I feel like--in the words of my youngest son's hero, Buzz Lightyear--"I have landed on a strange planet."  Nowhere is that feeling stronger these days than when considering the current state of the Albuquerque and New Mexico Labor boards, and their various travails.

Albuquerque Labor Board Unable to Agree on Neutral Appointment

The City of Albuquerque's Labor Management Relations Board--currently comprised of the Labor and Management appointments, Justin Lesky and Barbara Stephenson respectively--met today at 9:00 a.m. at the Mesa Del Sol Building, but were unable to reach a decision on the neutral appointment.  The Labor rep is looking for a candidate with specific labor experience, while the Management rep appears to be looking for a candidate who has a track record representing both sides of the table in either labor or employment matters.

NM PELRB and Public Sector Collective Bargaining in Review -- 2010

2010 was an "interesting" year at the New Mexico Public Employee Labor Relations Board, and for public sector collective bargaining in general--calling to mind the ancient and purportedly Chinese curse, "may you live in interesting times."

As some readers may already know, I was one of a small number of "Gov-ex" personnel laid off from the PELRB in January 2010, at which time I started my own neutral practice, Pilar Vaile, P.C.  See http://joemonahansnewmexico.blogspot.com/2009/12/making-list-and-checking-it-twice.html.   Thereafter, in June, Director Juan B. Montoya retired and was replaced by a Federal Mediation and Conciliation (FMCS) retiree, Pam Gentry, who started with the PELRB in or about August, 2010.  Ms. Gentry brings lots of knowledge of federal labor law, and it is clear upon speaking with her for any length of time that she has big ideas for the agency.  Unfortunately, to date, day-to-day operations seem to be suffering a bit.