TVI Board scolded for approving presidential pay increase. 
Board members at the Albuquerque Technical Vocational Institute received a scolding during their board meeting Dec. 10 from Donna Hurtado, a full-time instructor and president of TVI's Faculty Federation. Hurtado felt she had to speak out to the board about an issue, she said, "that has made us all a little uncomfortable."

The issue is the $19,450 pay increase granted to TVI president Michael Glennon by a 6-1 vote at the last board meeting on Nov. 12.

The board voted to bump up Glennon's salary from $176,550 to $196,000, an 11 percent increase, as the last item at the Nov. 12 meeting--the same meeting in which Hurtado had just agreed to a 3 percent pay increase for full-time instructors and security guards over the next year. Hurtado said a 5 to 7 percent increase is normal for TVI employees, but the teacher's federation didn't push for more than 3 percent, believing that times were lean in a post-9/11 economy.

"The amount of his (Glennon's) pay increase pretty much stunned people," Hurtado said. "Some people were angry, some people were indignant, and I think what it all boils down to is: What am I, chopped liver?"

Mr. Glennon however said there appeared to be some misperceptions about his new contract. He said his approved salary increase was tied to a three-year contract and would only amount to a little less than a 4 percent annual pay increase. Glennon said because the pay increase was "front-loaded" it gave the false perception of an annual pay increase of 11 percent. However, it would not have taken much mathematical analysis to understand the exact details of the distribution, Glennon said.

"I thought Donna did a nice job of not criticizing me personally," said Glennon. "I think, as president of their union, she was obligated to point out there are people there not doing as well (financially) as I."

Glennon added that, under his financial management, TVI has given faculty and staff salary increases that have been "significantly more" than what the state Legislature has provided.

In light of Glennon's salary boost, Hurtado said it's likely the faculty federation will push for a larger annual increase for part-time faculty than the 3 percent received by full-time faculty and security guards.

"I wanted to move them to think," Hurtado said of her Dec. 10 plea to the board, "I wanted to move them to consider the other 1,800 or so people that make that school run the way it does and realize that when they value one person above everyone else, they devalue everyone else."

Board chairman Richard Barr said board members anticipated some negative reaction to the president's salary increase, but weren't overly concerned about it. "We decided to sign Michael Glennon for another three years to take us to that next level of quality," Barr stated.

Nob Hill Neighborhood Association donates $1,000 to reward fund. The organization put up the cash in hopes that anyone with information about the cause of the Thanksgiving Day arson fire that destroyed the Youth in Transition office at 310 Washington SE will pass it on to city arson investigators. The money adds to the $1,000 reward already being offered by Crime Stoppers.

Colleen Cadwell, the Nob Hill Neighborhood Association president, said because investigators discovered that the CASAA homeless youth program was also targeted by arsonists, neighborhood residents are concerned that the culprits aren't finished.

The CASAA office, a research facility run by the University of New Mexico, sits across the street from the burned-down YIT office and investigators found gasoline had been poured on its roof the same night the YIT arson occurred.

CASAA, which stands for Center for Alcoholism, Substance Abuse and Addictions, plans to expand their services to include a day shelter for homeless youth. YIT had functioned as a daytime "drop-in" center for homeless teens before it was torched.

In a prepared statement, The Nob Hill Neighborhood Association said it fully supports CASAA's plans to expand their services, although the local residents weren't always in favor of YIT being part of the neighborhood, citing concerns that teens associated with the organization were responsible for vandalism and the sale of illegal drugs in the area.

"With the cloud of the unsolved arson looming, the residents in the area are worried and uneasy; we are also very concerned about the safety of the CASAA staff and clients," a Nob Hill Neighborhood Association statement issued last week said. "We hope, by increasing the reward, any individuals having knowledge of the arson will come forward and this matter can be resolved."

So if that might be you, call 843-STOP.

It was a civil protest. About 50 social activists gathered under the giant "Satisfaction Guaranteed" sign that greets eager Wal-Mart shoppers at one of the company's supercenters located at 2701 Carlisle NE.

They waved handmade signs and passed out fliers that accused the retail giant of purchasing goods from factories overseas that pay workers--often women and children--between three and 33 cents an hour. The workers often work between 80 and 100 hours per week without overtime compensation or healthy working conditions, the fliers said.

"We ask people here in Albuquerque, during the holiday season, to make it a Season of Conscience," the flier said.

One of the protesters, Ali Moore, a senior at St. Pius X High School, said she and the other 15 students from her school who joined the activities were concerned about child-labor practices and the widening gap between rich and poor throughout the world.

"We're doing what we can to change the world, knowing how fortunate we are," said Moore. "We're educated on the issue, but a lot of people can't help buying the clothes because they are so cheap and they don't know where they come from."

Another protester, Brian Haney, was more blunt when explaining why he chose to stand in the cold and attract the attention of motorists and shoppers.

Haney said: "Perhaps people wouldn't help Wal-Mart post record sales if they knew about the child labor that went into all the crap they just bought."

The Dec. 10 rally was planned by local activists to coincide with International Human Rights Day. Many of the participants are members of the Sweatshop-free Albuquerque Coalition, a loose organization comprised of faith-based groups, labor union supporters, social activists and students.

The notable difference at this year's rally: For the first time in four years, Wal-Mart's management kicked the protesters off of their property and onto the city-owned sidewalks along Carlisle and Claremont.

"They weren't complying with the solicitation policy having a rally close to the store," explained Cynthia Illick, a Wal-Mart spokesperson.

What about the activists' concerns? Are children making some of the stuff Wal-Mart sells, getting paid pennies an hour and working 16-hour days?

"Our policy is, we do not knowingly do business with anyone involved in using child-forced or slave labor," said Illick.

Not knowingly? What does that mean?

"We don't know if that's true," said Illick. "If we ever determine that workers are treated unfairly we will terminate our relationship with a supplier who doesn't comply with (that country's) laws."

Wal-Mart purchases products from factories in 20 countries, including China, South Korea, Thailand, The Philippines, India, Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua, Illick said. She was not able to say what percentage of the goods sold at Wal-Mart are made overseas and what percentage are made in the United States, "for competitive reasons."