If you don’t like the way things work in the City of Albuquerque, don’t blame Mayor Keller or City Council (at least that’s what the Mayor himself says), blame the AFSCME government employee union.
This is an enlightening KUNM story in which Mayor Tim Keller touts the benefits of working for the City and highlights the need for more city workers. It is a fairly trivial article until the following:
Critics from the Rio Grande Foundation and dating back to President Franklin Roosevelt have expressed concern about the mere principal of allowing government employees to unionize. Keller appears to be taking the issue to another level by stating that Albuquerque is “an AFSCME run city.”
Setting aside whether AFSCME is doing a good job, allowing a private organization (formed for the benefit of its dues paying members) is not a healthy thing for governance or democracy.
Well it is not a perfect but does protect the workers.
Imagine being at the mercy of each in coming administration when it comes to city politics.
That would truly be a mess.
Even though we have a steady administration here in ABQ that is not always the case.
Of course what he’s saying perhaps in-elegantly is that city employees are represented by AFSCME. And he supports that.
You guys are the Rio Grande Foundation are such cowards. You have no problem cutting taxes for the corporate elite and fighting every attempt to raise the minimum wage or help the poor in other words by improving the social safety net. Why don’t you go out after the police Union?
AFSCME run city?
Out of control crime
Failing public schools
Some of the highest tax rates in the country
Businesses closing at an alarming rate
Property taxes and rent out of control
Proud to be called Gotham City
This is what you’re advocating for?
#NotMyABQ
No Excuses for doing a lousey job at that.Tim Keller is the mayor of Albuquerque
This is what he signed up for. Everyone I hear his name at the airport ,it’s imbaressing when tourist come to Albuquerque. ALBUQUERQUE OS NOT SAFE!
The meme above is a snippet from a letter FDR wrote in 1937 to Mr. Luther C. Steward,President of the National Federation of Federal Employees ~ It is often used to suggest that FDR was opposed to Gov employee unions. The following is the portion of the same letter which illustrates his (positive) position on unions in general and gov employee unions as well.
“The desire of Government employees for fair and adequate pay, reasonable hours of work, safe and suitable working conditions, development of opportunities for advancement, facilities for fair and impartial consideration and review of grievances, and other objectives of a proper employee relations policy, is basically no different from that of employees in private industry. Organization on their part to present their views on such matters is both natural and logical, but meticulous attention should be paid to the special relationships and obligations of public servants to the public itself and to the Government.” – Franklin D. Roosevelt –
Meticulous attention is not being paid by the City’s leaders.