AWF Urges Gov. Culver to Veto Forced Bargaining Bill
click to download official letter
March 26, 2008
Honorable Chet Culver
State Capitol
Des Moines, IA 50319
Dear Governor Culver,
On behalf of the Alliance for Worker Freedom (AWF), a non-partisan organization that represents millions of rank-and-file American workers, I urge you to oppose and veto the egregious, just-passed House File 2645 that forces compulsory bargaining, and which will hold the state budget hostage to frivolous union demands.
The bill adds several mandatory bargaining items to the teacher quality law and eliminates some provisions that provided a balance between management and union bosses. The changes significantly tilt the playing field in favor of the unions over average hard working Iowans.
The Des Moines Register reported on 3-20-08 that “school boards would lose much of their authority to determine a number of issues, including scheduling, class size and early retirement benefits for staff…” It is your responsibility Governor Culver to stand up to corrupt and powerful labor unions and stand behind the Iowa workers who deserve a responsible government.
This compulsory bargaining movement also sets dangerous precedent for other states near Iowa. Currently, 37 states have some form of forced negotiations. These deals vary in degree of transparency, from states that allow public access to bargaining sessions like Florida and Alaska, to states with completely closed, backroom sessions, such as Delaware and Connecticut. This current path, along with other union-favoring policies such as the misnamed “Fair Share” bill, will label Iowa a heaven for unions and an enemy of worker freedom.
Forced bargaining sessions can render the employer or the state helpless to the demands of the union bosses. 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 or teacher is forced by their union to strike and demands more money, the taxpayer will now pay their new state subsidized salary.
Iowa’s move towards compulsory bargaining will ensure budget showdowns or shutdowns in the near future. Gov. Culver, I am urging you to veto the irresponsible and egregiously passed H.R. 2645 as it is nothing more than a gift to Big Labor at the expense of hard working Iowa taxpayers.
Sincerely,
Brian M Johnson,
Director of Policy
cc: All Members of the State Legislature
All Iowa Print and Talk Media
