Faculty members support staff as they head to polls

Editor,

This is an open letter to President William Gordon:

We, the undersigned faculty of UNM, express our support for the University staff who are involved in an organizing campaign that will result in a secret-ballot election today.

Since 1970, it has been UNM's policy to permit certain categories of employees to join and assist labor organizations as well as to permit the participation in the formation of new labor organizations. We strongly encourage the University to ensure the broadest possible participation in this democratic process and guarantee the First Amendment rights of these employees to freely discuss union issues and the upcoming vote.

We recognize the fundamental right of workers to organize collectively and to form unions. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted unanimously by the General Assembly of the United Nations, proclaims that "everyone has a right to form and join unions for the protection of his interests."

That same right is codified in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights ratified by the United States in 1992, in addition to declaring that "(e)veryone shall have the right to freedom of association with others, including the right to form and join unions for the protection of his interests."

It goes on the affirm that no restrictions may be placed on the exercise of their right other than those which are proscribed by law and are necessary in a democratic society in the interests of national security or public safety, public order, the protection of public health or morals or the protection of the rights and freedoms of others.

The policy of UNM is preserved and the fundamental rights of these workers are best protected when they are assured of their right to participate in the process without challenge.

Diana Robin and

Byron Lindsey

Department of Foreign

Languages and Literature

Jennifer Moore,

Antoinette Sedillo Lopez,

Scott Hughes,

Kenneth Bobroff

and Timothy Canova

School of Law

Mark Peceny

Kenneth Roberts

William Stanley

and Joseph Stewart

Political Science Department

Sylvia Rodriguez

Robert Leonard

and Les Field

Anthropology Department

Melissa Bokovoy

and Judy Beiver

History Department

Beverly Burris

and Dodd H. Bogart

Sociology Department

John Geissman

Faculty Senate president

E.A. Mares

English Department

Melissa Belinda

Economics Department

Dan Handmaker

Pediatrics Department

Ruth Salvaggio

American Studies Department

Henry Llull

General Library