AWF Victory in Iowa: Gov. Culver (D) Vetos Forced Bargaining Bill
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: John Kartch
19 MAY 2008
202-785-0266
Gov. Culver (D-IA) Friend of Worker Freedom
Workers Rights Group Commends Gov. Culver’s Veto of Forced Bargaining Bill
Washington, D.C. — Today, the Alliance for Worker Freedom (AWF), a non-partisan advocacy organization that combats anti-worker legislation and promotes free and open labor markets, commended Governor Culver’s recent veto of forced bargaining bill HF. 2645.
“This is a precedent setting victory and an example to other Democrat controlled state congresses and Governors that putting the best interest of the taxpayers and the workers of their state should always, always trump Big Labor kick-backs,” says Brian M Johnson, executive director of the Alliance for Worker Freedom. If passed, HF 2645 would have resulted in a 10 percent salary increase for all city officials; bumping the Governor’s salary up to $142,500 per year.
However, Johnson claims no salary increase is worth the damage that collective bargaining causes to state budgets and worker freedom. “On the heels of Vallejo, CA filing bankruptcy because they cannot pay the public-safety union salaries which make up 74 percent of the total budget due to out of control forced bargaining laws, Gov. Culver has one-hundred percent stood up to union-thugs and protected the jobs and the workers in Iowa,” adds Johnson.
Currently, Johnson and his group are active in several state and federal labor issues. Most recently, the Alliance for Worker Freedom is opposing federal legislation that is pending in the U.S. Senate that will force all states to engage in collective bargaining. This bill if passed by the Senate will overturn any anti-collective bargaining or limited bargaining laws that states currently have.
“What we need now” says Johnson “is for Governors all over the nation to protect their state sovereignty, protect their workers and protect their taxpayers by telling their U.S. Senators to oppose H.R. 980 that will force their hand and overturn all the progress people like Gov. Culver have made!”
Alliance for Worker Freedom special project of Americans for Tax Reform dedicated to the protection of workers rights.
For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact John Kartch at (202) 785-0266 or at jkartch@atr.org.
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