Union for political campaigns expands to New Mexico

SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The staff for New Mexico Democratic congressional candidate Debra Haaland has joined an upstart national labor union for election-campaign workers. The Campaign Workers Guild announced Monday it had secured a union contract with Haaland's campaign that outlines minimum pay, working conditions and benefits for employees. The campaign currently employs four people, with an additional employee on leave for graduate studies. Launched in February, the Campaign Workers Guild is making inroads into the often high-pressure work environments of election campaigning. It represents workers in 13 political campaigns, including nine congressional campaigns from Pennsylvania to California. Haaland says she embraced the idea of unionizing when approached by staff members and that it fits with her support for a higher federal minimum wage and paid family leave guarantees.