McKinley County school labor dispute deepens as arbitration begins

Gallup-McKinley County Schools and the McKinley County Federation of United School Employees have pushed their contract fight far enough that a neutral arbitrator is now stepping in, a sign the dispute is no longer just about bargaining language in a district office. With teachers, counselors, educational assistants, bus drivers, bus attendants and custodial and maintenance staff all covered under the district’s salary schedules, the outcome could shape who stays, who leaves and how steadily schools can function across McKinley County.

The talks have been heated for the past couple of months, and the union has accused the district of unfair labor practices, a lack of transparency and contract violations. A complaint in the dispute was first filed Jan. 28, 2025, and New Mexico Public Employee Labor Relations Board materials in March 2026 still referenced MCFUSE v. Gallup-McKinley County Schools, showing the conflict has outlasted a single round of negotiations. Another labor case between the same parties centered on the district’s unilateral decision to stop deducting voluntary Committee on Political Education contributions.

That history matters because this is not a narrow dispute over one job title or one line in the budget. GMCS’ published salary schedules cover licensed teachers at multiple levels, counselors, educational assistants and transportation staff, along with custodial and maintenance employees. When negotiations stall across that many classifications, the pressure can reach substitute coverage, daily staffing, school climate and the consistency families see in classrooms and student services.

The labor fight is also unfolding during a period of leadership change at the district. GMCS named Jvanna Hanks interim superintendent effective March 2, 2026, while the union has kept pressing its broader case for transparency and collaboration. In October 2025, MCFUSE endorsed three GMCS board candidates, saying they represented an opportunity for greater transparency and collaboration. Earlier, on Aug. 1, 2025, AFT New Mexico publicly condemned the termination of union leader Sawyer Masonjones.

A March 2026 Navajo commission report added to the scrutiny, describing long-standing inequities and retaliation concerns at GMCS. Taken together, the arbitration, the labor complaints and the leadership changes show a district under intense pressure to stabilize its operations before the dispute does more damage to recruitment, retention and the everyday continuity families depend on in Gallup and across McKinley County.