While the private sector has bounced back from pandemic job losses, public sector jobs still haven’t recovered, according to federal statistics. In an effort to put a dent in the persistent shortage, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) joined with the City of Albuquerque, state and other local governments Monday to encourage community members to give their jobs a chance.
Mayor Tim Keller said at the hiring event that the city is in desperate need of help. He said as many as 30% of positions are vacant in some departments.
“We don’t even have enough solid waste drivers to have normal shifts everyday. We have to use forced overtime since the pandemic,” he said. “Our transit drivers have the same challenge. We have to cut bus routes because we literally don’t have enough drivers.”
He highlighted that the city gigs come with training, benefits and opportunities to advance. “And most importantly, they come with awesome labor protections from AFSCME,” he said.
The mayor praised the union and touted his administration’s strong collaboration with its leaders.
“You know, people ask me all the time, ‘Who runs the city?’ And that kind of thing,” he said. “Look, the answer is AFSCME. We are proud to be an AFSCME-run city.”
AFSCME Council 18 President Casey Padilla said the vacancies take a toll on essential services when things get missed, but also on the staff.
“It's kind of hard to balance things in your life a little bit with having to work extra hours,” he said.
Still, he said the jobs should be attractive to those entering the workforce because the union negotiated a $15 minimum wage with the city, along with better job security and retirement plans than can often be found in the private sector.
“Those are many of the things that the younger people don’t understand,” he said.
The city is also offering hiring bonuses of $500 to $1,500 for some positions, and as much as $10,000 to $15,000 in the police and fire departments.
