Key Takeaways
- New tier minimums for licensed teachers to $50,000, $60,000, and $70,000 for levels one, two, and three.
- Together, we were the force that organized a series of events that must be replicated and improved upon for the coming year!
- Vote “Yes” for the Constitutional Amendment that will allow more funding for early childhood and K-12 education.
As an experienced educator with over twenty years in the classroom, the months of June and July fly by so much faster than any other months. And just like that, the 2022-2023 school year is upon us, and I wish you happiness, humor, and health. Entering another school year, it is worth reflecting on new conditions set by collective efforts to improve education in New Mexico. For example, in January, over 500 educators came to Santa Fe to demand better pay and working conditions resulting in the greatest salary gains in NM history and in the nation.
In addition to a 7% across-the-board average salary increase, the legislature passed much-needed increases to tier minimums for licensed teachers to $50,000, $60,000, and $70,000 for levels one, two, and three, respectively. The legislature also passed a law requiring a minimum $15 per hour for all hourly workers in New Mexico schools. These significant gains in wages would not have happened if not for our arduous work and collective action!
We cannot let up and must build on the success and momentum of January 2022. Momentum is defined as the strength of force gained by motion or by a series of events. Together, we were the force that organized a series of events that must be replicated and improved upon for the coming year! We still have so much work to do to stabilize the educator work force, which must happen for the success of New Mexico’s students and the well-being of New Mexico educators. Tell your colleagues about our work and get them to be a part of your union. Join Now! Our power lies in our membership, and I need you to tell others about our successes and get them involved. Brag about the work that we did together and imagine, with them, what we could accomplish with their help. The time is now, momentum is on our side, and we must continue to act. Look up and down your hallway at work and find out who is not a member and ask them to join.
We can also build on our success by electing the right education friendly candidates, voting “Yes” for the Constitutional Amendment that will allow more funding for early childhood and K-12 education, read more here; and uniting to continue to build the schools that NM educators and students deserve. Among our top priorities for next year is access to affordable health care. This is a perennial issue that many educators continue to struggle with, and we have a great opportunity to do something about it this coming year! Please sign our 80/20 Healthcare petition.
While we organize and build power to make urgent and needed improvements in our schools and across the state, I hope you have a wonderful school year! I also hope it is full of days that leave you gratified and confident, knowing the work you are doing is incomparable and the most important.
