Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Proof?



When will we get proof that our right-wingers really hear from corporations who say they won't move to New Mexico because we don't have so called "Right to Work" laws. They never identify these people and our sap media never asks. They just take it at face value. And so that legislator and apparent working man hater, Sander Rue, who has introduced such legislation should be made to identify those companies that he talked about. There is only one reason for such a law to be passed, and that is to eradicate workers unions.
The new Attorney General, Hector Balderas, has provided proof that he is good at wielding an axe.  His summary firing of over 40 employees was a bit over the top.  It was a PR disaster that really did not have to happen in such a manner.  I am surprised.  He could have asked for everyone's resignation, and then offered to have them apply again to ascertain whether or not they were experienced and efficient state employees.  Yes, they were all at will employees, but little thought was shown in giving them their pink slips.  Some of them probably will walk off with strong institutional memory that Hector could use.  They will also walk off with a real dislike of the new AG.  That didn't have to happen.

Maybe the first person Hector should hire now is an experienced public relations officer who might show him how to do things with class.  

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Do you regret the way you fired Joe Polisar as Albuquerque Police Chief?

Sometimes an ax gets the point across to everyone. New person running things and new direction.

Jim Baca said...

He fired fully 25% of the work force at the AGs office. That is a lot at once. Firing Polisar at APD was needed because of the problems there. The fact is, Balderas could have handled this much better and it is a little unsettling. He got some really bad advice and didn't realize it.

Anonymous said...

I think getting fired is getting fired. You did what you had to with Polisar. There were many who thought you handled it poorly. Same with Hector. I think both of you did just fine.

Getting fired is never fun, but when you are an at will employee you have to figure it can happen. Crying about how unfair it is, is childish. As an at will you know, or should know, you can be gone in a blink of an eye.

I am sure Hector will do fine, just as you did OK.

How do you fire someone with "class"? You can't. Fire them and move on. It comes with the job.

Anonymous said...

You can't buy class

Anonymous said...

Do you mean reporters should ask the tough questions? But that would make their job harder, Jim. Next time they needed a quote from Rue he'd be hard to get on the phone. They'd have to stay late and then not be able stop by the mall on the way home because it would be closed already. Jeeeez!

They should grow a pair or get out of the business. Imagine the headline: Legislator Can't Back Up Claims That State's Union Laws Hurt Business Recruitment.

To his credit he did give a Democrat and a union official a forum to respond, at which they filed pretty miserably because they are starting out from way behind in propaganda terms, and have to come from a defensive posture.

They have not established a context to put what they say into, of, the ongoing war to eradicate unions, which you mention but which would make little sense to the average reader without Democrats and unions having established the argument.

Again, I repeat, NM Democrats won't even utter the word "union" in public.

Democrats and unions are where corporations and Republicans were in the 60s an 70s, but the latter two figured out how to put the media and Democrats on the defensive. People outside the Democratic Party are talking about this but in the party. They are still trying the strategy of being ever more Republican like (or as they say, "centrist") and chasing the Wall Street money.

Anonymous said...

They weren't doing much anyways. Besides Hector has shown he's all talk. Schultz was given to him on a silver platter for a list of offenses. Nothing to look at here people. Move along.

Anonymous said...

Hey Hector made a lot of promises when he took people's money so he has to give those donors jobs now. That's a politician.

Anonymous said...

I hope Hector indicts Schultz and Taser Executives for pay to play. It is clear what happened, yet our public officials haven't held Schultz or Taser accountable. I hold no hope with the City Inspector General, but Hector's office should be bringing charges, SOON!

Anonymous said...

Perhaps i am missing the point but I thought Mr. Baca was saying that Hector personally could have and should have taken the time to independently assess the capabilities of each employee before terminating them by email. If he had done so, then Hector would have known first hand what his new office needed and who could best provide it. From what I have seen and been told, Hector went along and terminated people without taking that time and now he has made some enemies from people who could have been very useful to him on his way up the political ladder. I agree with Mr. Baca that these actions are unsettling.

Anonymous said...

Hector did just fine. The NM AG office has done nothing in the last 16 years (Madrid and King). Those people needed to go, they were not doing their jobs of protecting the citizens. This termination has sent a message to other at will employees, you better get off your butts and work, just being a political hack will not guarantee your positions any longer. That is unless you go to work for Susana!

Anonymous said...

But how does Hector know which AG employees are "political hacks" and which aren't if he didn't take the time to know the office before terminating people's employment via mass email? The answer is he didn't and this type of "act first ask questions later" approach is not in the best interests of NM since we already have a bully in the Governor's office.

Anonymous said...

You assume Hector didn't already know these folks and their work. A manager doesn't have to interview every worker to know who is producing and who isn't. A coach doesn't have to interview a player who has a batting average of .001 to know he can't hit. A manager doesn't need to interview attorneys who lose cases over and over again. You don't need to interview a police chief when the crime stats are showing an increase in crime. Hector didn't need to "get to know" these folks. The abysmal record of the NM AG office speaks for itself. If you don't want to be fired without cause, don't be an at will employee. It's that simple.

Anonymous said...

That last comment is really a show of ignorance. It is leadership that counts. In his first move Hector has shown ignorance in how to treat the work force. He has acted like an American Corporate CEO.

Anonymous said...

Ignorance?

Look, I am very progressive, but I also recognize that when you are at "at will" employee you can be gone for no reason. Period. Saying that Hector is ignorant, I am ignorant, Hector has no leadership, just because he did not want to keep these "at will" employees is,,, well,,,, ignorant.

I believe Hector wanted a complete change of course. The last 16 years, and those at will employees who have been along for the ride, are not the direction Hector wants to go.

Would it make you feel better if you were interviewed (waste of time) and then let go? Would it make you feel better if you had to reapply for you position to only be told you won't get it? Would it make you feel better to be kept on eggshells for a month or two (while the legislature is in session) not knowing if you were going to keep your job or not?

Or would it be better for you, the state and the NM AG office to be terminated right away (this was going to happen no matter what) and you can start moving on with your life? At will employees can be tossed out at any time, you are crying about this because you want the protection that regular employees have. Well you don't have that protection. Get over it. This is already a non issue. Everyone, including me is moving on. Hector, the NM AG office, you, me, we will all move on from this and the world will not fall apart.

And remember in the future, if you don't want to be treated like an "at will" employee, don't accept the position.

Anonymous said...

You just can't admit it can you? He screwed up right out of the gate in the way he handled this. It doesn't mean he will be a bad AG. It means he needs better advisors. It was hamfisted.

Anonymous said...

He didn't screw up. There is no evidence that he did. Until you have tangible proof that getting rid of these "at will" employees has caused some type of harm, it is all just hurt feelings.

Bring forth real evidence, not this "he needed experience at the legislature" stuff. Bring forth an actual event where not removing these folks would have made things better.

Until you can do that, your complaint is just hurt feelings and nothing more. Welcome to the real world, it can be down right mean out here.