Western New Mexico University faculty forms union

Professors at Western New Mexico University in Silver City announced they had organized a union of faculty members and librarians, after collecting signatures from two-thirds of faculty and librarians supporting collective bargaining — exceeding the 50% threshold for automatic recognition of the union.

In a news release, organizers said the Thursay move followed a “tumultuous semester” in the wake of upheaval in the university’s top leadership.

The university’s former president, Joseph Shepard, resigned in December following a scandal over lavish spending of more than $360,000 in public funds. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham appointed a new board of regents after the former regents approved a $1.9 million payout for Shepard and a faculty appointment.

Union organizers said they would form as a local under the National Education Association, having submitted their cards and a request for certification to the New Mexico Public Employee Relations Board on May 13. The recognition would make Western the sixth university in the state to organize a faculty union.

NEA-NM represents K-12 teachers and school staff, health care professionals and higher education faculty statewide.

“As WNMU looks to the future, unionizing will ensure that faculty have a voice in any changes that may be considered for programmatic, administrative, and reporting structures,” Andy Hernandez, a history professor and union organizer, said in a written statement. “Improved shared governance has become all the more critical in the wake of the tumultuous events of the previous year. … A powerful, collective voice will ensure that WNMU’s faculty are able to devote more time to their efforts on supporting student achievement and building a positive community.”

The drive follows the formation of New Mexico State University’s faculty union in 2024. NMSU graduate workers formed their own union in 2021. University of New Mexico faculty and graduate workers organized in 2019 and 2020, respectively.

Central New Mexico Community College, New Mexico Highlands University and San Juan College have also unionized.