TEAMSTERS News:
ALBUQUERQUE — Teamsters Local 492 has successfully been certified to represent employees at South Valley Academy, making history as the first charter school workforce to organize with the Teamsters in New Mexico.
The certification represents a significant milestone for organized labor in the state. It reflects a growing movement among charter school employees seeking a greater voice in their workplaces through collective bargaining. As charter schools continue to expand across the country, employees are increasingly recognizing that the right to organize offers a meaningful avenue to improve workplace conditions and strengthen the educational environment for students.
“This is a historic day—not only for Teamsters Local 492, but for charter school employees across New Mexico,” said Andrew Palmer, Secretary-Treasurer of Teamsters Local 492. “The employees at South Valley Academy have demonstrated tremendous courage and leadership by choosing to stand together. Their decision affirms that every worker deserves dignity, respect, and a meaningful voice in the workplace.”
Joaquín R. Sanchez (SVA high school math teacher): “At South Valley Academy, we joined Teamsters Local 492 because public school workers deserve a genuine voice and professional agency. In 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.”
Zach Usadi-Henrickson (SVA mid school social studies teacher): “This effort began with a simple belief: the people who dedicate their lives to educating students deserve a meaningful voice in the decisions that shape our school. Joining Teamsters Local 492 represents more than winning the right to bargain collectively. It represents our commitment to building a stronger school where educators are valued, students come first, and every decision is informed by the people who know our classrooms best. As we often say, ‘Our working conditions are our students’ learning conditions.’ Across New Mexico, both deserve continued investment and improvement.
“For educators, union protections translate into something even greater: the ability to focus on serving students. When teachers and school staff have a voice in decisions affecting their profession, schools are better positioned to recruit and retain talented employees, reduce turnover, and build positive learning environments for children and families.
“We hope our organizing effort inspires educators at public charter schools throughout the state to recognize the power of coming together with a shared commitment to strengthening our profession and the schools we serve.”
Mary Ellen Fresquez (SVA high school ELA teacher): “Teamsters Local 492 took a vested interest in providing the representation we needed. They were proactive and made themselves easily accessible to provide information and answer questions. Becoming Teamsters, we’ve created an opportunity to improve relationships across SVA. I look forward to Teamsters 492 bringing much-needed support to our school. My teaching conditions are my students’ learning conditions. Having a union improves my conditions and in turn improves students’ conditions.”
The organizing victory reflects the enduring importance of organized labor in strengthening New Mexico’s workforce. Throughout history, unions have helped establish many of the workplace standards that benefit workers today, including safer workplaces, fair pay, family-supporting benefits, due process protections, and opportunities for workers to participate in decisions that affect their livelihoods.
At a time when many workers are seeking greater stability and a stronger voice on the job, Teamsters Local 492 believes this successful certification demonstrates that collective bargaining remains an effective path toward building stronger workplaces and stronger communities.
South Valley Academy employees now join thousands of Teamsters represented by Local 492 across New Mexico in industries ranging from transportation and public service, food processing, printing, solid waste and the nonprofit sector.
“This victory belongs to the employees who believed in one another and chose solidarity,” Andrew Palmer said. “We hope their resolve will inspire other workers to organize with the Teamsters. We are proud to welcome the South Valley Academy employees into the Teamsters family. We look forward to sitting down with South Valley Academy leadership to negotiate a strong first contract that reflects the needs of our new members. We believe the best outcomes are achieved when employees and employers work together with mutual respect.”
Teamsters Local 492 congratulates the South Valley Academy educators for their perseverance throughout the organizing process and looks forward to negotiations on a first contract in the months ahead.
