Frito pies benefit furloughed workers

SANTA FE (KRQE) - With mandatory furloughs approaching state employees are resorting to fundraisers with a workers' union selling $1,000 worth of Frito pies Thursday to benefit their lower-income colleagues.

The State Employee Alliance organized the event at the Montoya Building in Santa Fe to help out about 300 state workers who make less than $10 an hour.

“And you figure if you make $10 an hour, that’s $80 a day time times five, that would be $400,” union treasurer Janin Anton said.

So instead of eating lunch, dozens of state union employees were serving it. They sent the message on flyers and through emails asking for donations and drew hundreds of state employees who themselves, are being forced to take a cut in hours.

“My biggest concern was what happens to the people that barely make it as it is,” state employee Amber Espinosa Trujillo told KRQE News 13.

“Some of these people have families and are living paycheck to paycheck that's tough," added Robin Shawa. "That's absolutely tough."

About 17,000 state workers will be taking five unpaid furlough days as part of the governments attempt to balance this year's state budget. The furloughs are expected to save about $8 million of the $650 million the state needs to make up before the end of the fiscal year on June 30.

The union is Local 7076 of the Communication Workers of America and represents employees in a number of state agencies and at the University of New Mexico.

Many who showed up are also being forced to cut their hours but still dug into their pockets for $5 for the crunchy concoction of corn chips, chili and cheese.

“We're all a family here at the state, so I think it’s a good thing to help a fellow employee,” said Santa Fe City Councilor Ron Trujillo, an employee of the state Department of Transportation.

The majority of the food was donated by local stores and some state employees.

Union members said they met their $1,000 goal for he first of their fundraising events. They said as they continue raising more money, more state employees will be added to the list to receive a check to including those that make more than $10 an hour.