Leaders from the Iowa Teamsters and other labor unions hosted a “Restore the Dignity” rally at the Cedar Rapids School District Educational Leadership and Support Center in Cedar Rapids July 22 to decry what they termed a “deterioration of standards for public sector employees.”
Labor leaders said the rally was spurred by recent actions by the Iowa Legislature that have reduced collective bargaining rights, beginning with a 2017 bill passed by the Republican-controlled Legislature that made sweeping changes to Iowa’s collective bargaining rights for public sector workers, such as employees of school districts and government agencies.
According to the University of Iowa Labor Center, the 2017 changes impacted Chapter 20 of the Iowa Code, which had been the basis for labor relations in Iowa cities, counties, schools, and state agencies for over 40 years. The new legislation created a distinction between bargaining units with at least 30% of their members being public safety employees, or public safety bargaining units, versus bargaining units that contain less than 30% public safety employee members, or nonpublic safety bargaining units.
Legislative leaders say the bill was needed to close a loophole in the state’s collective bargaining law, but labor leaders said in a written statement the “legislative attack has severely undermined the rights and protections of public workers, making it more difficult for them to advocate for fair working conditions.”
“At the end of the day, it was nothing more than an attempt by an anti-worker administration to bankrupt public sector unions and eliminate the voice and rights of thousands of public sector workers in the state of Iowa,” said Rick Moyle, executive director of the Hawkeye Labor Council AFL-CIO in Cedar Rapids. “These workers teach our children in schools. They bus our children to and from school, they plow our roads. They are police, they are firefighters. They work for our cities and counties in the entire state. They are the backbone of this state and keep things safe and running every day.”
Rally organizers said they hope to convince state legislators to reconsider the changes made in 2017, and in subsequent years, that have reduced the negotiating rights of public-sector workers.
“During times of crisis, we expect our public servants to ride in like superheroes to protect us and restore normalcy during blizzards, tornadoes, derechos and floods, and they do, time and time again,” said Jesse Case, secretary-treasurer and principal officer of Teamsters Local 238 in Cedar Rapids. “But where’s their normalcy? Where’s their respect? … What expectations do they have when we strip them of dignity, leading to increased turnovers and lower recruitment and retention levels? (They’re) trying to create a system of second-class citizens when it comes to our public servants. Restore their dignity and restore their collective bargaining rights.”
Other speakers at the July 22 labor rally included Cedar Rapids school bus drivers Rick Melton and Monica Frank.
“They continue to push for legislation that undermines our rights, and they are in our ability to advocate for ourselves,” Mr. Melton said. “This lack of respect is felt deeply by all of us who are dedicated to public service. As a school bus driver, my job goes beyond just driving a bus. It’s about ensuring the safety and well being of the students in my care. We deserve the dignity that comes with being able to advocate for our needs and the needs of our community.”
Ms. Frank pointed out that high turnover rates are a significant issue for bus drivers, “largely due to the lack of pay during the summer months, when school is not in session.”
“We need some form of unemployment benefits to supplement our income during these times,” she said. “Additionally, during the school year, there are several days when school is not in session, and we do not get paid. Providing a couple of more paid days for these times would greatly benefit us and help stabilize our income. Despite the importance of our work, we are often met with disregard from the state officials instead of recognizing the value we bring to our communities that continue to push legislation that undermines our rights and ability to advocate for ourselves.”
The rally was also attended by State Reps. Sami Scheetz and Art Staed, State. Sen. Molly Donahue and a number of local public-sector workers.
A similar rally was held in Davenport earlier this month, and more rallies are scheduled across the state in coming months, leading to the convening of the next session of the Iowa Legislature in January 2025.
