A. The Supreme Court of the state of New Mexico in the case of International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers vs. Town of Farmington, 75 N.M. 393 (1965), held that if a merit system providing for those matters usually contained in a collective bargaining agreement is adopted by a municipality, the municipality may not enter into a collective bargaining agreement that is contrary to the provisions of the merit system. The city commission has considered alternative methods aimed at achieving the goals of protection of the rights of its employees, avoidance of employee dissatisfaction, assurance of access by employees to management, and input by employees into management decisions affecting wages, hours and other terms and conditions for employment. The city commission finds and determines that these goals can best be achieved through a formal merit system.
B. The city commission further finds and determines that all personnel actions regarding employees of the city shall be based upon the merit and fitness of all applicants, satisfactory performance of work involved, necessity to the municipality of the work to be performed, and the availability of funds.
C. The city commission further finds and determines that fair and equitable rates of pay shall be provided employees of the city with the due consideration of both employees and the taxpayers of the city, and in observance of the principle of equal pay for equal work and appropriate differences in pay for differences in work.
D. The city commission further finds and determines that as far as practicable, the public service in the city shall be made an attractive career and incentives shall be provided public employees so as to encourage efficient and effective delivery of services to the residents of the city. (Ord. 1068-76 § 1, 1977).