Bus Drivers Vote In Bitter Union Election Friday

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.koat.com/news/15990352/detail.html

POSTED: 6:31 am MDT April 25, 2008

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- Albuquerque bus drivers cast votes Friday in a heated union battle.

They will decide whether to change from their current union, the New Mexico Transportation Union known as NMTU, to the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, known as AFSCME.

Bus drivers and concerned citizens gathered Thursday to talk about the election and problems that led up to it. Some drivers said they were fired after they began showing interest in a new union.

"I truly believe I was fired because of my involvement with AFSCME. I was talking to co-workers and two days later I was terminated," said former bus driver Josephine Miera-Felder.

The bitter debate reached new heights last week when fliers were posted comparing NMTU to Osama bin Laden and President George W. Bush. Other fliers were posted in retaliation. They claimed that AFSCME would take away drivers' pay raises.