Press Release: Gov. Culver (D-IA): Friend or Enemy of Iowa Workers?
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: John Kartch
28 APRIL 2008 202-785-0266
Gov. Culver (D-IA): Friend or Enemy of Iowa Workers?
AWF Urges Culver to Veto Forced Negotiations Bill H.F. 2645
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Alliance for Worker Freedom (AWF) condemned the recent tactics used by Iowa Sen. Majority Leader Gronstal (D) in stalling a forced bargaining bill to create political pressure on the Gov. to sign the legislation. H.F. 2645, if signed by the Governor, will force the states to “bargain” with public employees. AWF is urging the Governor to veto this bill.
“Forced bargaining laws are nothing more than vehicles used by the union-bosses to hold state budgets hostage,” says Johnson. “By giving one labor group authority to demand an increase on salaries, benefits, and promotions, everyone else has something taken away. If any public official goes on strike and demands more money, guess who will now pay their salary—the taxpayer.”
According to Johnson, the mandated bargaining in H.F. 2645 will result in employers whose wages are set according to the standards of the labor unions and not the free market. “This forced negotiating power will make the employers vulnerable to threats of strikes, which give immense power to union employees at the expense of the employer and the public safety,” adds Johnson.
H.F. 2645 adds several mandatory bargaining items to the teacher quality law and eliminates some provisions that provided a balance between management and labor. AWF policy director Brian Johnson says these changes significantly tilt the playing field in favor of Big Labor unions over average hard working Iowans.
Much of the concern surrounding mandated bargaining laws is the effect on public safety jobs such as firefighters, police and public safety workers.
“Given that union bosses often encourage and push for strikes over supercilious circumstances to further their own personal agendas, consider the repercussions of an emergency first responder, police or fire strike in your home state, or perhaps even your neighborhood?” asks Johnson.
