April 23, 2007
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Political Action Update |
| Vol. 07-14 |
April 23, 2007 |
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Workers Killed on the Job in Iowa, 2006 “We just came to work here; we didn’t come to die.” 44 deaths that didn’t need to happen…. |
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William Allen Andrew Allen Eric Baldwin Michael Broughton Simon Cooper Gary Crabtree Dennis Craighton Leo Deters Matthew Dickinson Allen Feickert John Foster Justin Friedrichsen Antonio Fuentes Gonzales Karlton Fullenworth Jason Galles Kevin Girard |
Donald Gleiter John Hager Michael Hickey Kenneth Hoskins Larry Huisman Christopher Kluesner Matthew Lake Sandra Lemke David Loerts Claire "Rocky" Low James Luck Jon McWilliams Daniel Meggison Ronald Noonan Hal Peacher Steven Pedersen Lionel Pederson |
Lonnie Plumley Anthony Rizzo Bryan Ruan Roland Schlotzhauer Paul Thompson Christopher Turney Steven Upton Roberto Uresti, Jr. Dennis VanderWoude Alan Willits Garry Woods
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It doesn't need to be..... |
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Fatality and injury rates have fallen dramatically in many industries over the last several decades. But now that progress is halting, and may be reversing. Last year 44 Iowans died on the job while the latest federal OSHA statistics (2005) show more than 5,700 workers across the country were killed by job injuries. Another 50,000 – 60,000 died from occupational diseases, including more than 10,000 deaths from asbestos-related diseases. For Hispanic and immigrant workers the situation is much worse. |
Workplace deaths have increased sharply, as many of these workers work in the most dangerous industries and jobs, exploited by employers. How can this be happening? Since taking office in 2001, the Bush administration has turned its back on workers and workplace safety. Siding with its corporate friends, the administration has overturned or blocked dozens of important workplace protections. Workers Memorial Day 2007 is a day on which we call for an end to such injustices, and rededicate |
ourselves to the fight to make workplaces safer and to make our community stronger. We call for job safety laws to be strengthened to provide all workers the protections they need and deserve. And we call for passage of the Employee Free Choice Act, to restore workers’ right to join a union so that they can have a real voice and be protected on the job. (AFL-CIO) Because without a union — there is no real job safety. |
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More IOSHA Inspectors on the Way! |
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After years of neglect — labeled “criminal” by Iowa union leaders — the Economic Development Budget includes funding to increase the number of OSHA inspectors in Iowa. The bill has passed both chambers of the Legislature |
and has been sent to the Governor for his signature. There would be greater cause for celebration if it had not been so indefensibly long in coming! What we get: $528,000 for 7 new OSHA inspectors. |
What we don’t get: The lives and health of hundreds of workers killed or injured since funding was slashed by Republican Governors in the 1990’s. See the names of last year’s victims inside this Update. |
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to Watch |
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HF 908 Plumbing licenses. Replaces present local licensing requirement for plumbing, HVAC, refrigeration or hydronic services with licensing board under the direction of the Department of Public Health. IFL supports. HF 914 Employee Choice of Doctor. Gives an injured employee the right to choose the provider of medical services at the employer’s expense. IFL supports. HF 922 Child Care Registration. Increases the number of child care providers who are required to register with the state. IFL supports. SF 590 Earned Income Tax Credit. Increases the state earned income tax credit to 7% of the federal credit and makes it refundable. IFL supports. |
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December 9, 2006, 12:30
p.m.
North Central Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO
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Marvin Gardens
809 Central Avenue Fort Dodge
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December 9, 2006, 5:00 p.m.
North Iowa Nine Labor Council, AFL-CIO |
Hanford Inn
3041 - 4th St. SW
Mason City |
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December 13, 2006, 5:30
p.m.
Black Hawk Union Council, AFL-CIO |
Brown Bottle
209 West 5th
Waterloo |
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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 |
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December 16, 2006, 9:00
a.m.
Dubuque Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO |
Labor Temple
1610 Garfield, Dubuque |
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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 |
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December 16, 2006, 12:30
p.m.
Southwest Iowa Labor Council, AFL-CIO |
Tish’s
1115 S. 35th St. Council Bluffs |
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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 |
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December 16, 2006, 5:00
p.m.
Northwest Iowa Labor Council, AFL-CIO |
UFCW #222
3038 S. Lakeport,
Sioux City
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December 17, 2006, 12:30
p.m.
Southern Iowa Labor Council, AFL-CIO |
UFCW #230 Hall
1305 E. Mary Ottumwa |
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December 18, 2006, 5:30
p.m.
Iowa Federation of Labor,
AFL-CIO |
Machinists Hall
2000 Walker St.
Des Moines |
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Who’s For and
Who’s Against Fair Share |
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C Organizations Registered to Lobby for Fair Share C |
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D Organizations Registered to Lobby against Fair Share D |
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Ag Processing, Inc. Associated Builders & Contractors of Iowa Cedar Rapids Chamber of Commerce Central Iowa Power Cooperative (CIPCO) Concerned Women for America of Iowa Greater Cedar Valley Alliance Greater Des Moines Partnership Hawkeye Renewables, LLC Home Builders Association of Iowa Iowa Assn of Business and Industry Iowa Assn of Electric Cooperatives Iowa Assn of Municipal Utilities |
Iowa Assn of School Boards Iowa Assn of Water Agencies Iowa Automatic Merchandising Assn Iowa Bankers Association Iowa Chamber Alliance Iowa Commercial Real Estate Association Iowa County Engineers Association Iowa Family Policy Center Action Iowa Lumber Association Iowa Rural Water Association Iowa State Association of Counties Iowa Health System Iowa Hospital Association Iowa League of Cities |
Iowa State Assn of County Supervisors Iowa Wholesale Distributors Association Iowa Winds, LLC Iowans for Right to Work IPSCO Steel, Inc. Kraft Foods Global, Inc. Master Builders of Iowa Monsanto Company National Federation of Independent Business National Right to Work Committee Philip Morris USA, Inc. Professional Developers of Iowa Professional Educators of Iowa Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. |
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Note: Many organizations are registered “Undecided,” but are still actively opposing Fair Share. |
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A Third Piece of
the
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Two bills aimed at helping low income workers in Iowa (the minimum wage increase and the cap on car title loans) have been signed by the Governor. Now a third provision to protect this vulnerable group has passed the Senate. The Senate bill would increase the state’s Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), and make it refundable, which will help thousands of hard-pressed working Iowa families pay for needs such as child care, health care, heating bills, and fuel for their cars. |
It is estimated that each year the federal EITC helps lift 4 million Americans above the poverty line, making it one of the most effective anti-poverty programs for working families. The Iowa Policy Project has pointed out that 168,000 Iowa households receive the federal Earned Income Tax Credit, but that almost half of them do not claim the state credit. By increasing the tax credit, and making it refundable, more Iowa families will benefit. |
In Iowa, a working family of four begins paying state income taxes when family income reaches $18,338, which is less than the poverty level. At the federal level, a family of four needs to reach $41,870 – about two times the poverty level – before the family is liable for federal tax. Increasing the size of the Iowa EITC – from 6.5 percent of the federal level to a higher percentage – would effectively raise the level at which families begin to incur a state tax liability, and narrow the gap between the federal and state tax liability levels. |
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(Courtesy Iowa Policy Project) |
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What would
really help
the poor? Strong unions and good wages — |
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Education Budget Headed for Agreement Pre-School Improvements Pass |
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Now years of Republican damage to Iowa schools is about to be addressed. House and Senate bills increasing education funding for Preschool, K—12 and the Regents’ institutions are expected to be hammered out this week, bringing substantial improvement to Iowa’s educational system. Already agreed on: More resources for pre-school children: four-year-olds may receive a minimum of 10 hours of class time with a qualified preschool teacher. Iowa leads the nation in the percentage of two-parent families in which both parents work, and yet only 30 percent of Iowa families have access to high-quality pre-schools. |
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IFL President temporarily side-lined Iowa Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO, President Mark Smith underwent rotator cuff surgery on March 22. He is healing well and will be out of the office another month or two to undergo rehabilitation and therapy. We wish him a speedy recovery and a quick full return to the Iowa Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO. |
è Off-campus programs can be customized for local unions as they confront the challenges of changing workplace environments. Classes are offered to locals for a fee of $200 per day plus the cost of materials. Contact the Labor Center to find out more, or visit the Labor Center website at: http://www.continuetolearn.uiowa.edu/laborctr/index.htm for a list of topics. |
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FAIR SHARE Passed in Senate STILL delayed in House. |
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Public
education has been a chief priority of unions in the United States since
1828, when the “Working Men’s Party” stated as a main goal free public
schools for all. 