March 17, 2007
|
|
Political Action Update |
| Vol. 07-08 |
March 17, 2007 |
|
Some good news. A bill permitting bargaining over Fair Share for public sector workers (SF 413)passed the Senate 28 - 21 on March 8. Two Democrats voted no-- Rielly and Olive. One Republican--Mulder --was absent and didn't vote. The bill was passed in time to meet the first “funnel,” a deadline for bills to have passed one committee or die for the session. Admittedly, this bill addresses only a part of the problem the labor movement faces, but it is vitally important for our brothers and sisters in the growing public sector. We regard it as first step in our efforts to gain fair share bargaining rights for all. Private sector. Bills permitting bargaining over Fair Share agreements for both private and public sector workers were introduced into both houses of the Legislature in the first few weeks of the session: HF 324 in the House and SSB 1120 in the Senate. Neither of those bills was passed out of committee. Next. The bill goes to the House Labor Committee and is expected to be voted out and debated on the floor as early as the week of March 12. |
|
IFL Legislative Conference |
|
The annual legislative conference of the Iowa Federation of labor, AFL-CIO had presentations on the key legislative issues facing workers and unions in our state: Dan Holub (Labor Center) on Workers’ Compensation and public sector labor law improvements, Tom Gillespie (Iowa State Building and Construction Trades) on the importance of a state prevailing wage for Iowa building trades workers, and David Osterberg (Iowa Policy Project) on a worker-friendly tax policy. Speaker Pat Murphy provided a review of legislative action and a sobering forecast of the difficulties of getting Fair Share through the House, despite its Democratic majority. Mac Smith, IFL legal counsel, and Jan Laue, IFL Executive Vice President detailed the fine points of the Fair Share bill and the politics of talking to legislators about it. Fair Share legislation dominated both the agenda and the lobbying that occurred on Tuesday as the participants went to the Capitol to talk in person to their elected representatives. The conference ended with a strategic planning session conducted by Brenda Moon, AFL-CIO. |
 |
|
Participants at the IFL legislative conference made use of the opportunity to study key issues affecting workers and ask questions of experts. |
|
Emotions were high at the State Fed’s 2007 Legislative Conference in Des Moines the last three days of February, as it appeared that the Fair Share bill including both public and private sectors was 6 or 7 votes short of passing in the Iowa House. Several of those “no” votes had put their signatures in favor of Fair Share on an earlier IFL questionnaire. So there was a sharp sense of disappointment among the conference goers. On Tuesday afternoon, they went up on the hill to thank their reps who are standing with us on Fair Share and tried their best to find and persuade each and every one of those nay-saying nine. Comments from union leaders present:
“This is the first year ever we’re
represented by Democrats, so we’re good to go.”
“I understand the benefits of using a
turnpike. I shouldn’t be forced to drive on it, but if I do, I should be
willing to pay the toll.” “Fair Share is no different than paying your share of taxes for schools, roads, parks, or libraries.” Al Hartl, Cedar Rapids “It doesn’t make sense. Why should there be freeloaders? I don’t mind helping the poor, but why should I pay for people making the same as I do?” Emily Schiefer, Iowa City “At the legislative hearing it was ironic that all opponents of Fair Share were from the Right to Work Committee, the Chamber of Commerce or economic development groups, but I saw no individual companies or employers who are already unionized speak about it.” Garth Bowen, Cedar Rapids “The presence of both union and non-union workers on a shop floor can be so divisive that it’s counter-productive.” Bill Davis, Lee County
“We made a promise to our membership that
if they got out the vote and got us both houses, we’d change things for the
better in Iowa. Don’t make me out to be a liar!” “Our dues-paying members aren’t happy to see us pay thousands of dollars to arbitrate cases for free riders. Fair Share would create a more harmonious workforce.” Rene Dinnewith, Quad Cities “Fair Share will be a fair deal for all working men and women in Iowa, especially our young men and women that leave Iowa because of the lousy wages.” Jim Wengert, Des Moines “I want it to be retroactive.” Lon Kammeyer, Waterloo “I asked the president of a local union in Minnesota for 35 years how many workers actually lost jobs because of the union shop requirement. ‘Not one! They all joined and said it was a good job.’” Francis Giunta, Dubuque
“In a Fair Share shop, people don’t get
fired for refusing to pay their fair share.
“90% of our grievances come from
non-members. I think it’s only fair that if we have to pay for them they
should have to pay a fair share.” “When it comes to Fair Share, the people who it actually affects are in favor of it. The opposition, the majority of the people who oppose it—like the carpet-bagging Right to Work Committee from Virginia, for example—don’t have a dog in that fight.” Ken Mertes, Onawa “So many folks don’t understand what we do sitting at the bargaining table till 3 am. You fight for the most important things. Fair Share will help because everyone will participate and help us keep what we have and get more to help workers.” Jenny Mitchell, Council Bluffs
“ It is a moral issue that people pay their
fair share. Some people shouldn’t have to sweat blood for what others are
enjoying.” “As a little kid in church I asked my dad why do we put money in the plate? ‘Because we need to help keep our church going,’ he said.” Al Perkins, Cedar Rapids |
|
to Watch |
|
HF 532 Family DiSCRIMINATION. Prohibits an employer, employment agency, or union from directly or indirectly advertising or in any other manner indicating that persons of any particular marital or family status are unwelcome. IFL supports. HF 555 Cigarette Tax Increase. Increases the tax on cigarettes by $1 a pack and to 55% of the wholesale price for tobacco products. IFL supports. HF 569 Medicaid Eligibility. Makes the parents of children who are eligible for Medicaid and whose family incomes are at or below 50% of the federal poverty level eligible for Medicaid. IFL supports. HF 603 Sexual Orientation Discrimination. Prohibits discriminatory employment, public accommodation, housing, education and credit practices that are based on a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. IFL supports. HF 614 Tax Increment Financing. Requires a study of tax increment financing for purposes of urban renewal. IFL supports. HF 645 Experimental Health Coverage. Prohibits health insurance coverage for a treatment, drug or device from being denied as experimental if it is not considered experimental under the federal Social Security Act and is covered under Medicare and Medicaid. IFL supports. HF 653 Same Day Registration. Authorizes an eligible elector to register and vote at the polling place on election day. IFL supports HF 656 Child Care Project. Appropriates $250,000 to the DHS for a 24-hour child care center pilot project. IFL supports. HF 659 Health Care Claim Appeals. Requires that a phone number that allows a person to learn more about the internal appeal mechanism for health care plans be printed on the insured’s insurance card, and be posted in a prominent place in health facilities and in health care providers’ offices. IFL supports. HF 668 Nurse Educator Loans. Establishes a nurse educator forgivable loan program to make forgivable loans to registered nurses who are seeking to become nurse educators. IFL supports. HF 670 Teacher Quality Program. Appropriates an additional $35 million for the Student Achievement and Teacher Quality Program in FY 2007 and $75 million in FY 2008. IFL supports. HF 675 Living Wage Study. Requires ISU to study the effects that a living wage would have on the state. IFL supports. HF 676. Earning Capacity Factors. States that a factor which could have been considered in the reduction in the employee’s earning capacity and that existed or was known about by the parties at the time of a prior award or agreement for settlement does not bar a proceeding to reopen such award or agreement unless the factor was considered and properly reflected in the amount of compensation paid. IFL supports. HF 677 Workers’ Comp Employers. Deems a worker from a temporary employment agency as an employee of the agency and not the business where the worker is assigned for the workers’ compensation laws. IFL supports. HF 687 Energy Efficient Appliance Grants. Creates a grant program in the Division of Community Action Agencies to assist individuals or families at 100% of the federal poverty level with the purchase of energy-efficiency appliances. IFL supports. HF 692 Employee Meal Times. Requires an employer to give an hourly employee time for meals and rest breaks. IFL supports. HF 697 Farm Inheritances. Creates an inheritance exemption for agricultural land which passes to someone who has some relation to the owner through blood, marriage or adoption, if the land has been in the family for 20 years or is leased to a beginning farmer under a crop share agreement for 20 years, or some combination of the two that adds up to 20 years. IFL opposes. HF 705 Insurance Premium Tax Elimination. Eliminates the tax on insurance premiums over 4 years. IFL opposes. HF 720 Fitness Equipment Exemption. Exempts the sale of fitness equipment to a physical exercise club from the sales tax if the equipment is for customer use. IFL opposes. HF 743 Scheduled Injuries. Requires additional workers’ compensation for scheduled injuries that result in a reduction of the employee’s earning capacity. IFL supports. HSB 250 State School Sales Tax. Replaces the local option school sales tax with a statewide sales tax. IFL opposes. HSB 269 Out-of-state injuries. See SF 341. IFL supports. HSB 278 Prevailing Wage. Requires the payment of prevailing wages on public improvement projects worth more than $25,000. IFL supports. SF 299 Workers’ Comp Injuries. Defines work injuries as cumulative or traumatic; excludes injuries which would be considered part of the aging process. IFL opposes. SF 321 Agricultural Sales Tax Exemption. Exempts from sales tax activities related to agriculture, including inspection of crops and livestock. IFL opposes. SF 341 Out-of-state injuries. Allows for workers’ comp claims for injuries that happen out of state if the employer has a place of business in the state and the worker regularly works from that place of business or if the worker lives in Iowa or if under contract for hire made in this state, the worker cannot get recovery from another state, is working outside the US, or if the employer is in the state and the contract puts workers’ comp claims under Iowa law. IFL supports SF 345 Health Care Initiatives. Authorizes small business wellness and disease management initiatives. IFL supports. SF 352 Same Day Registration. See HF 653. IFL supports. SF 356 Lowest Responsible Bidder. Requires that the past experience of the bidder in completing similar projects, the qualification of the bidder to perform the work and proof of financial responsibility be used in determining the lowest bidder. Prohibits requiring the use of union workers or a project labor agreement or requiring the contractor to offer specific benefits to employees in order to get the contract. IFL opposes. SF 365 Nurse Educator Loans. See HF 668. IFL supports. SF 369 Paper voting trail. Requires voting machines that are direct electronic devices to be capable of producing paper ballots that can be reviewed by the voter. IFL supports. SF 393 Information Technology Exemption. Creates an annual sales tax refund for up to 5 years for an information technology facility on the sale price of all fuels used in creating heat, power and other uses for operation of the facility. IFL opposes. SF 413 FAIR SHARE. Allows fair share agreements to be negotiated and included in contracts with public employers under Chapter 20. IFL supports. SF 417 Elevator Licensure. Provides for the licensure of elevator mechanics and elevator contractors. IFL supports. SF 420 Comparable Worth. Provides that employees should be paid based on comparable worth. IFL supports. SF 421 Workers’ Comp Exclusions and Debt Collection Practices. Provides than an employee is covered by the employers’ worker’s comp policy unless specifically excluded and prohibits debt collection from the employer as well as the employee while the case is in dispute. IFL supports. SF 424 Choice of doctor. Allows workers to choose their own medical care provider in workers’ compensation cases. IFL supports. SF 427 Discrimination. Prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. IFL supports. SF 457 Peace officers’ bill of rights. Relates to the rights of a peace officer and public safety and emergency personnel. IFL supports. SSB 1291 Mature Workers. Creates the Mature Worker Act to help deal with the needs of workers over the age of 55. IFL supports. SSB 1297 Health Organization Reports. Requires an annual report to be submitted compiling information reported on federal tax form 990 by non-profit hospitals operating in the state. IFL supports. SSB 1308 Workers’ Comp Coverage. Deems that an employer assumes liability for workers’ comp coverage of certain domestic, casual and agricultural workers who are otherwise exempt by purchasing coverage that does not specifically exclude them. IFL supports. SSB 1322. See SF 413. IFL supports. |
|
December 9, 2006, 12:30
p.m.
North Central Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO
|
Marvin Gardens
809 Central Avenue Fort Dodge
|
|
December 9, 2006, 5:00 p.m.
North Iowa Nine Labor Council, AFL-CIO |
Hanford Inn
3041 - 4th St. SW
Mason City |
|
December 13, 2006, 5:30
p.m.
Black Hawk Union Council, AFL-CIO |
Brown Bottle
209 West 5th
Waterloo |
|
December 15, 2006, 5:30
p.m.
Hawkeye Labor Council,
AFL-CIO
Iowa City Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO |
RWDSU #110 Hall
526 F Ave. NW
Cedar Rapids |
|
December 16, 2006, 9:00
a.m.
Dubuque Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO |
Labor Temple
1610 Garfield, Dubuque |
|
December 16, 2006, 12:30
p.m.
Clinton Labor Congress,
AFL-CIO
Quad City Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO |
Rusty Nail
2606 W. Locust
Davenport |
|
December 16, 2006, 12:30
p.m.
Southwest Iowa Labor Council, AFL-CIO |
Tish’s
1115 S. 35th St. Council Bluffs |
|
December 16, 2006, 5:00
p.m.
Des Moines - Henry County Labor Council,
AFL-CIO
Lee County Labor Council,
AFL-CIO |
Parthenon Steakhouse
715 - 8th St.
Ft. Madison |
|
December 16, 2006, 5:00
p.m.
Northwest Iowa Labor Council, AFL-CIO |
UFCW #222
3038 S. Lakeport,
Sioux City
|
|
December 17, 2006, 12:30
p.m.
Southern Iowa Labor Council, AFL-CIO |
UFCW #230 Hall
1305 E. Mary Ottumwa |
|
December 18, 2006, 5:30
p.m.
Iowa Federation of Labor,
AFL-CIO |
Machinists Hall
2000 Walker St.
Des Moines |
|
Iowa Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO Legislative Hospitality Monday Evenings 5:00 - 7:00 Machinists Hall
2000 Walker Street |
Iowa Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO Lobbyist Meeting 10:30 Monday Mornings During the Legislative Session 2000 Walker Street Des Moines, Iowa You’re invited! |
|
EFCA
|
||
|
On March 1st, HR 800, the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA), passed the House by a vote of 241 to 185. Voting Yes: 13 Republicans; 228 Democrats Voting No: 183 Republicans; 2 Democrats Not voting: 5 Republicans; 5 Democrats How Iowa Reps Voted
Voting yes:
Leonard Boswell (D),
Voting no:
Steve King (R) EFCA now goes to the Senate. It would provide for:
|
||
|
|
||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
||||
