Union leaders call for restoration of bargaining rights for Iowa government workers

CEDAR RAPIDS — Local union members and labor leaders called on Iowa lawmakers Monday to restore collective bargaining rights for public employees.

Members of Iowa Teamsters Local 238 and Democratic lawmakers from the Cedar Rapids area have complained about what they call a deterioration in standards for government workers across the state. They say changes to Iowa law in 2017 have undermined their collective bargaining rights and protections, making it harder for them to fight for fair labor practices.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=/Zxs-gbDiKSw

In 2017, Republican lawmakers dramatically overhauled state collective bargaining laws, limiting the ability of public-sector unions to negotiate on key issues such as health insurance, evaluation procedures, overtime pay and layoffs. The law limited contract negotiations for non-public safety government workers to base wages and required unions to recertify about 10 months before each bargaining period — typically every two to three years.

Republican lawmakers said at the time that eliminating mandatory bargaining items would give local governments and school districts more flexibility, allowing them to cut costs or find more innovative ways to deliver services, better manage employees and ensure better performance from them.

Earlier this year, members of Iowa’s largest public employee union protested at the Iowa Capitol to oppose a bill that would decertify a public employee collective bargaining unit if the public employer fails to file a list of union-eligible employees with the state. The bill, Senate File 2374, failed to pass during the session.

Iowa Senate Republicans who introduced the legislation said it was needed to close a loophole in the 2017 collective bargaining law. Since then, many state bargaining units have failed to file lists of union-eligible workers and thus have not held annual recertification elections, both of which are required by the 2017 law.

Supporters of the labor law call it a “union-busting” bill because it places the fate of the negotiating groups in the hands of the employer.

On Monday, speakers in Cedar Rapids stressed the need to restore the “dignity” and rights of Iowa government workers, citing problems such as higher turnover, lower hiring and retention rates, and a broken system that has left wages stagnant.

“This was nothing more than an attempt by an anti-labor administration to bankrupt public sector unions and eliminate the voice and rights of thousands of public sector workers across the state of Iowa,” Rick Moyle, executive director of the Hawkeye Area Labor Council AFL-CIO, said of the 2017 law. “… The governor and the Republicans in power have the opportunity to change this. We are asking Governor (Kim) Reynolds to do the right thing and give working families in Iowa our dignity back.”

Reynolds’ office and spokespeople for Republicans in the Iowa House of Representatives and Senate did not immediately respond to requests for comment Monday afternoon.

Rick Melton and Monica Frank are bus drivers for the Cedar Rapids Community School District and members of Iowa Teamsters Local 238. The couple said they face challenges because of Iowa’s weakened collective bargaining laws, which affect their ability to negotiate for better working conditions and benefits.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=/OaAqjqOQQEU

“Every day, I have the privilege of ensuring our students get to school and back home safely. It’s a responsibility I take very seriously because I know the impact it has on our children and our community,” Melton said. “But like many of my colleagues in the public sector, I have faced significant challenges because of the actions of our state legislature.”

He said the ability to negotiate these critical issues is fundamental to ensuring he and other government workers can do their jobs effectively and safely.

“Despite the importance of our work, we are ultimately met with disdain by our state officials instead of recognizing the value we bring to our communities,” Melton said. “They continue to push for legislation that undermines our rights and our ability to advocate for ourselves. This disrespect is deeply felt by all of us who are committed to public service.”

“As a school bus driver, my job goes beyond just driving a bus. It’s about ensuring the safety and well-being of the students in my care. We are public servants who literally take care of ourselves and deserve the respect that comes with that responsibility.”

Frank said the district has a high turnover of bus drivers, which she attributes largely to the lack of pay during the summer months.

“We need some form of unemployment benefit to supplement our income during these times,” she said. “Also, there are several days during the school year when the school is closed and we don’t get paid. A few extra paid days for these times would be a huge benefit to us and help stabilize our income.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=/_TznmSDudds

Jesse Case, secretary-treasurer of Teamsters Local 238 in Iowa, said government workers in the state face indignities despite responding to crises with little recognition.

“In times of crisis, we expect our public servants to step out like superheroes to protect us and restore normalcy during blizzards, tornadoes, derechos and floods,” Case said. “And they do it time and time again. But where is their normalcy? Where is their respect? And when they come home after a long day of flood control, of transporting our children, of maintaining the streets we drove on today, what do they expect?

“What expectations do they have when the wage gap between public and private sector workers continues to grow? … What expectations do they have when the right to seniority and the right to bid on their own jobs has been stolen under a broken system?”

Case added: “It’s time to close the wound and restore dignity.”

Ccomments: (319) 398-8499; [email protected]