After calling union members "slugs" at the April 4 city council meeting where councilors, including Sanchez, repealed a law that required a labor agreement for any city project over $10 million, the "slugs" turned out in force at Monday's council meeting. They were there to berate Sanchez for his name-calling (video here) and to support Mayor Keller's veto of the repeal of the Project Labor Agreement Ordinance.

That veto was sustained at Monday's council session. 

The ordinance passed on a 5 to 4 vote and six votes were needed to override the mayoral veto. Keller said of the council action:

Union members from a variety of occupations jammed the council chambers Monday, flexing their political muscle and sending Sanchez a message that his working class Westside district is not a Republican enclave. 

For Sanchez, who has set himself up as the chief foil to Keller, going after the irritating ban on plastic bags and taking on the performance of APD has caused no qualms but going after the labor unions was not going to go unnoticed.

That's especially so as historic union organizing efforts are meeting with success at such giant corporations as Amazon and Starbucks and as employees everywhere confront soaring inflation. 

That Sanchez has moxie and helped awaken the city council from a lengthy slumber is not disputed but when it comes to his district and the political lean of ABQ, he failed to read the room. Lucky for him he does not face immediate fallout at the polls. He is not up for re-election until 2025. 

 

Perhaps the councilor is still miffed at labor for not backing his campaign last year. Whatever the reason for his labor hit, he may want to turn to Kenny Rogers for a lesson of "know when to hold 'em and know when to fold 'em."

Sanchez's hit begat another--from Dem state House candidate Cherise Quezada. Following his April 5 remarks she said she rejects a planned endorsement of her candidacy by the Working Together New Mexico PAC that is co-chaired by Councilor Sanchez:

Quezada, whose husband Michael represents the South Valley and SW ABQ on the BernCo Commission, is seeking the Dem primary nomination in House District 26. The seat is being vacated by Rep. Georgene Louis following her DWI arrest. Quezada faces progressive former state Rep. Eleanor Sanchez in the Westside district. It is one of the closely watched Dem primaries this cycle. 

Michael Corwin, a veteran NM Dem strategist who now lives in Florida, writes of the problems Disney is having in that Red state and perhaps the opportunity it presents here. 

Attracting Disney here probably sounds like an overreach to the politicos but it wasn't long ago that the state tried to entice Tesla's manufacturing plant. Try, try again.