Media News

My View: Bosses threw state workers under the bus

March 4, 2023
Editor

By Aria Chiodo ¡ Published in the Santa Fe New Mexican ¡ March 4, 2023

Santa Fe New Mexican

I am shocked and appalled at the 20 governor-appointed department heads who spoke out against the telework bill, House Bill 300, at a hearing last month.

This bill would have allowed some state employees to work from home. Many of these department heads repeated the same hypocritical talking points about “flexibility” as a reason for opposing a bill that would have given workers more flexibility. From what I can tell, all of these executives were appointed to their positions by the governor, where they earn six-figure salaries (about triple what the average state employee makes), and they clearly know how to return a favor.

Not one middle manager or regular state employee was against the bill — in fact, about a dozen came out and spoke passionately to support it. And not one regular citizen was against it. But that didn’t matter, because seven of the 11 members of the House Labor, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee voted to table it on Feb. 21, effectively killing the bill this session.

What did killing this bill cost New Mexico? The fiscal impact report estimated it would have saved the state $38 million over three years through reduced office space. Additionally, the bill would have helped retain quality employees, who now are looking for jobs elsewhere. And it would have saved employees thousands of hours by eliminating commutes, giving them more time to spend with their families or just to enjoy life.

To these 20 executives who bent over backward to do the bidding of the governor, rather than what’s best for the people of New Mexico: Your employees will not forget you.

They will remember you as the director who threw them under the bus for brownie points. They will blame you for every horrible commute, every car problem and every hour wasted on the way to and from work. Dozens of workers will leave for better jobs, and the new people you hire will have fewer skills and less motivation because the more skilled workers will be at jobs with better pay, benefits and yes, flexibility.

The executives who opposed telework:

  • Teresa Padilla, director of State Personnel.
  • Ricky Serna, secretary for the Department of Transportation.
  • Barbara Vigil, secretary for the Department of Children, Youth and Families.
  • Elizabeth Groginsky, secretary for the Department of Early Childhood Education and Care.
  • Peter Mantos, secretary for IT.
  • Debra Garcia y Griego, secretary for the Department of Cultural Affairs.
  • Sarah Propst, secretary for the Department of Energy, Minerals, and Natural Resources.
  • Patricia Trujillo, deputy secretary for the Higher Education Department.
  • Clay Bailey, deputy superintendent of New Mexico Regulation and Licensing.
  • Lashawna Tso, deputy secretary for the Department of Indian Affairs.
  • Robert Doucette, secretary of the General Services Department.
  • Patrick Allen, secretary of the Department of Health (represented).
  • Jen Schroer, secretary of the Tourism Department.
  • Mike Sloane, director of the Department of Game and Fish.
  • Alisha Tafoya Lucero, secretary of the Corrections Department.
  • Kelly Shlegel, director of the Office of Broadband.
  • Kari Armijo, secretary of the Health and Human Services Department.
  • Maggie Hart Stebbins, natural resources trustee.
  • Donnie Quintana, secretary of the Department of Veterans Services.
  • Jason Bowie, secretary of the Department of Public Safety (unironically teleworking while opposing telework).