The University of New Mexico’s graduate student’s union effort took a huge step forward on Friday, after the State of New Mexico Public Employee Labor Relations Boards completed their union card count.
According to a post on the UNM Grad Worker’s Twitter account,1,547 students are in the bargaining unit, a group of employees who are represented under U.S law as a single labor union.
In order to be certified by the labor relations board, the union needed to have a majority of those in the bargaining unit indicate their support for the union effort. The final official count showed 57.3% indicated their support, well over the necessary 50%.
UNM did challenge 73 of the card counts, but only one was accepted by the labor board director
With the count complete, the union can now move forward with negotiations with the University over the terms of their union.
UNM representatives present at the card count refused to sign the documents citing their “object to the whole process”.