New Mexico Legislature Nixes Prison Privatization

A coalition of union leaders—led by AFSCME Council 18 and including the New Mexico AFL-CIO and the building trades—was able to convince legislators to reject legislation that would have allowed privatizing of state prisons, forcing Gov. Gary Johnson to seek to privatize new prisons without legislative approval.

In 1988, a law was passed to allow the privatization of New Mexico's women's prison in Grants, which was then contracted out to the Corrections Corporation of America (CCA).

Legislation that was submitted this year would have made all prisons eligible for privatization.

AFSCME launched an all-points bulletin to alert COs about the proposal. "We started in the early morning hours calling officers and families and went into the wee hours of the night," said Ralph Robles, president of AFSCME Local 3422 at the Southern New Mexico Correctional Facility. "The union spread the word around that the governor wanted to privatize all the state prisons and that it was up to us to stop him," Robles added. Members responded with phone calls, petitions and letters to legislators.

Despite CCA's sleazy lobbying campaign-that included blatant lies about AFSCME's position on privatization-the prison company was dealt a stunning defeat.

Key support in the House was provided by three freshman lawmakers: State Representatives Sheryl Williams, Mimi Stewart and James Taylor-all card-carrying union members.