EDUCATION
Staff at South Valley charter school joins Teamsters
School is the first in New Mexico to forgo state's two teachers unions for representation
Published
Modified
Staff at a South Valley charter school are the first educators in New Mexico to be represented by the Teamsters.
Teachers at South Valley Academy elected to organize with the Albuquerque-based chapter of the union, Teamsters Local 492, rather than the local chapters of the state鈥檚 two teachers unions, the American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association.
鈥淭hey chose us,鈥� said Teamsters business agent Jerry Thorn. 鈥淭he way that we approach organizing, the very hands-on way that we do this, was what they preferred. They preferred having somebody much more direct help them with this effort.鈥�
Local 492 represents more than 3,300 workers across New Mexico in various industries including trades, public service and transportation.
鈥淭hey were proactive and made themselves easily accessible to provide information and answer questions,鈥� said Mary Ellen Fresquez, a high school English teacher at SVA, in a statement. 鈥淢y teaching conditions are my students鈥� learning conditions. Having a union improves my conditions and in turn improves students鈥� conditions."
Other teachers said their new union representation would offer them a sense of protection.
鈥淧ublic school workers deserve a genuine voice and professional agency,鈥� math teacher Joaqu铆n Sanchez said. 鈥淚n today's climate of growing wealth inequality and systemic hostility toward workers and immigrants, a union is more than a contract. It is a vital shield, and our way of pushing back against a national reality that seeks to divide us.鈥�
South Valley Academy enrolls around 620 students in grades six through 12 and employs more than 100 staff members, according to executive director Abelardo Batista. The school opened in 1999 and is chartered through Albuquerque Public Schools.
鈥淚t鈥檚 what we say all the time about how we approach collective bargaining,鈥� Batista said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e here for the mission, the students, and that鈥檚 part of it. So we鈥檙e going to approach it like we approach anything else here.鈥�
Part of the school鈥檚 mission is to foster civic engagement through community service, he said, and to get first-generation students enrolled in college after graduation.
鈥淵ou want to have a strong team, and this school takes care of our people, and we're going to continue to do that. I think with that attitude, we're only going to be stronger as a whole school,鈥� Batista said.
Natalie Robbins covers education for the Journal. You can reach her at nrobbins@abqjournal.com.
