A. Findings. Hearings conducted by the McClellan committee of the United States senate, without reflecting upon the aims or integrity of the vast majority of employers and labor unions have disclosed collusive, coercive and corrupt practices indulged in by a small minority of irresponsible employers and leaders of labor unions.

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These practices, which shock the conscience of our citizens and are deplored by all right thinking people, have been tolerated and encouraged by the absence of appropriate statutory prohibitions and declared governmental policy.

New Mexico, on the threshold of its greatest era of economic development, for the welfare and protection of its citizens, should by statute eliminate those practices which are so destructive to good employee-employer relationships, and which in many cases have been shown to have resulted in a denial of the civil liberties of many persons.

The legislature finds that the coercive and collusive practices prohibited herein represent a serious menace to the peace, safety, morals and welfare of the people of this state. The elimination of such practices by affording effective relief therefrom is a necessary condition to the realization of personal freedom for the employee, the encouragement of employee representation according to the free will of the employees and for their greater welfare, and the protection of the public interest generally.

B. Public Policy. An [In] interpretation and the application of this act [50-2-1 to 50-2- 3 NMSA 1978], it is hereby declared to be the public policy of this state to mitigate and eliminate certain coercive and collusive practices of labor organizations and employers with the view of promoting and protecting the exercise by employees of the fullest possible freedom with respect to self-organization, choice of bargaining representative, collective bargaining and all other legitimate concerted activities, it being fully recognized by the legislature that employees should have an equal freedom to refrain from any such activity or activities except to the extent that such freedom may be limited by a valid agreement in writing requiring membership in a labor organization as a condition of employment.