IN UNITY THERE IS STRENGTH

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D e a s ow Moines I NEWS IOWAVolume 16, Issue 2 Official Publication of the Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO September 2016 The President's View . . . Elections Matter! All legitimate questions. What are their answers? State and local candi- dates make the decisions that impact our quality of life. Think about invest- ments for education, fund- ing for workplace safety programs, infrastructure IFL President Ken Sagar investments or the lack of any of these and what the We are past Labor Day, the tradi- implications are for these tion kick-off weekend for the politi- actions or inactions. cal season. As we head into the fi- Local school boards, city nal weeks of the elections, have you council or county board evaluated the candidates on the is- decisions impact our kids, sues important to working families? our schools and our daily Where do the federal candidates quality of life. Don’t for- stand on trade? What are their plans get to vote the down bal- to create jobs and stimulate our lot elections too. economy? What are they doing to Flip the ballot over and take care of seniors and protect both vote yes to keep our judges Social Security and Medicare for from becoming politicized. the coming generations of working Try not to get too lost Iowans? What do they plan to do in the national TV ads to encourage and enable working and focus on the issues families to educate our kids without that are impacting us all every day. Labor 2016 efforts, just get up off the politics your hobby for 2 months enslaving them to a lifetime of debt? Pick a candidate, volunteer for our coach and make a difference. Make and see if it makes a difference. Bridging The Gap Quilt Raises $4015 Winner of the Bridging The Gap the cause, was USW 105 member quilt, which helped raise $4015 for Dennis Johnson from the Plate Mill. Shirts for the substance of quilt were donated by USW 105 members who care about our nation’s veterans and especially the Quad-City Area homeless veterans. Bridging The GAP QCA is a not

PAID for profit organization that holds several events each year. September U.S. POSTAGE U.S. PRESORT INC PRESORT 15-17 was a 3-day stand down de- NON-PROFIT ORG. NON-PROFIT signed for veterans to receive medi- cal and dental exams along with the availability of learning about food assistance, the Veterans Administra- tion’s health care services, human services, legal aid, etc. Thanks to all who helped make this a success. A special shout-out to Amber St. Clair, John Lane and Left to right: Mike Nicholas, Mike Malmstrom, Pat Stock, Brad Greve, Jerry Porter. Let’s keep up the good Jeff Hartford, Bart, Amber St. Clair and Jerry Porter. work for our veterans.

Secretary-Treasurer’s Notes Iowa FoL Your Vote & Iowa CLC Inside This Is Essential Endorsements Issue ...... Page 3 ...... Pages 4-5 Iowa AFL-CIO Iowa News AFL-CIO Federation of Labor, Iowa A St., Suite 2000 Walker 50317 Des Moines, Iowa Page 2 IOWA AFL-CIO NEWS September 2016 Muscatine Council Votes To Strip WIN Candidate And Mayor Of Her Appointment Powers

By Tracy Leone, Mayor Broderson attempted to use Months passed and the num- ple who would represent working Political Organizer her limited powers under a Man- ber of unfilled vacancies grew. The families in what has largely been a Last year, Diana Broderson was ager/Council form of government Mayor decided to bundle a bunch of town dominated by corporate inter- recruited by a WIN Committee to make the city more inclusive by appointments together, some reap- ests. member to run for Mayor. She was appointing people to Boards and pointments, some based on recom- The men who voted to steal the an ideal candidate, a LIUNA house- Commissions who, like her, were mendations from council, and some Mayor’s power – and the voice of hold member and for many years focused on giving working people a of her own people. Despite this at- the people who elected her - may employed by the YMCA working voice in local government. tempt at compromise, the council have succeeded for now in usurping in a family program. Diana un- But the council members, almost demonstrated once again that they democracy. The representatives of derstood the struggles of working all with corporate and business back- weren’t about to let working people Muscatine’s most powerful indus- families and easily won the support grounds, didn’t agree. They blocked have any power and voted to only tries and union-busting companies and endorsement of the Quad City her appointments one by one. They approve their own recommenda- may now be in charge at city hall, Federation of Labor. tabled them. They refused to make tions. but it won’t be for much longer. The After winning by eight points a motion and vote. They sent the Then on September 1st, 2016, people of Muscatine are watching over the incumbent mayor, and Mayor emails noting that her ap- the Muscatine City Council, over- and will not easily forget. garnering more votes than any- pointments were union members, riding the Mayor’s veto, voted 6-1 Frederick Douglas said, “Power one else on the ballot in the City, Democrats, and in one instance said to strip the Mayor of the power to concedes nothing without demand. the woman the mayor wanted to ap- make appointments to boards or It never has, it never will.” Now it is point to the public utility board – a commissions and the fire and police up to the people to demand change. IN UNITY THERE IS STRENGTH

RATION O college graduate who once headed chief. This was done despite public If you or anyone you know is inter- DE F E L F A B A O

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AFL-CIO the League of Women voters – was opposition, and in my opinion, be- ested in running for public office or

D e a s ow IOWAMoines I NEWS not qualified and would be better on cause the Mayor – a WIN Candidate work to help elect WIN candidates the Library Board. – dared make appointments of peo- locally, please contact us. The Iowa AFL-CIO News is the official publication of the Iowa Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO 2000 Walker St., Suite A Des Moines, Iowa 50317 Volunteers Needed For Labor 2016 and is published quarterly. This election appears to be a close To Volunteer contact: Iowa City (515) 262-9571 one, it is critical that union members Iowa Federation of Labor AFL-CIO 940 S Gilbert Ct, and our families go to the polls and 2000 Walker, Suite A Iowa City, Iowa 52240 iowaaflcio.org vote this year. A large percentage of Des Moines IA 50317 union members in Iowa are regis- 515-262-9571 Marshalltown tered to vote, yet in the last few elec- [email protected]. 1149 UFCW tions too many of us failed to show Labor 2016 Offices around Iowa: 803 N 3rd Ave Officers up. Marshalltown, IA 50158 And the results show that there LABOR CAMPAIGN OFFICES 641-752-0464 & Staff were several races that were lost by a very few votes. Cedar Rapids Quad Cities Along with our affiliates and IBEW Local 405 UFCW Local 431 President CLCs, the Iowa Federation of Labor 1211 Wiley Blvd SW 2411 W. Central Park KEN D. SAGAR has developed a statewide election Cedar Rapids, IA 53404 Davenport, IA 52804 [email protected] plan to get the labor vote out. Re- Rick Moyle Tracy Leone lease staff can’t do this alone. 319-396-8461 309-738-3196 Secretary/Treasurer CHARLIE WISHMAN We need your help. [email protected] Make sure you are registered to Council Bluffs Quad Cities vote and that you are in the right TBD USW 105 State Political Director voting area. 880 Devils Glenn Road BETTY BRIM-HUNTER You can vote early starting Sep- Des Moines Bettendorf, Iowa 52806 [email protected] tember 29! There are satellite voting 2000 Walker St, Suite A Tracy Leone places all over Iowa, you just have Des Moines, IA 50317 309-738-3196 Communications Director to go to your county auditors web Mark Fallis LANCE COLES page or call them to see where those 515-262-9571 Ottumwa [email protected] sites are located. The Secretary of TBD State (Iowa) web page sos.iowa.gov Dubuque Political Organizer also has a list of where you can vote, Labor Temple Sioux City BEN MURRY forms to get and other voting infor- 1610 Garfield WILF [email protected] mation such as: Dubuque, IA 521001 3038 S. Lakeport Absentee Ballot request Sioux City, IA 51106 Political Organizer Voter Registration TRACY LEONE Go to Iowalabornews.com and [email protected] check out the list of Union endorsed candidates and current labor walks. Bookkeeper We are stronger together. That JAMIE MILLER is what union membership is all [email protected] about. If we work together dur- ing this election period to get more Iowa ARA Organizer union sisters and brothers to vote SUE DINSDALE for our endorsed candidates, we [email protected] will restore the balance of power, stop attacks on working people and build an economy that works for ev- eryone. We need volunteers to knock on (812) 923-1111 door, make phone calls, and help AFL-CIO get out the vote! September 2016 IOWA AFL-CIO NEWS Page 3

The Secretary-Treasurer's Notes . . . Your Vote Is Essential be so called “right to work?” Who We are now just a few weeks away Governorship.” I think by all eco- thought that Wisconsin or Indiana from the election, and we have an nomic and labor rights measures, would go “right to work” or that enormous amount of work to do. the kind of good he wants to bring to collective bargaining would be With everyone working together Iowa should frighten all of us. completely dismantled? Of course, we are confident that our message This is going to be a hard election. those are the most egregious examples, because there have been many other anti-worker policies IFL Secretary-Treasurer enacted all across the Charlie Wishman Midwest. At a recent meeting of Midwest We here in Iowa union members, after talking about aren’t that far off from how we have a tough time getting being in that same sit- things passed by the Iowa Legis- uation. To put a point lature I was told by someone from on it, in 2012, the last Michigan, “You’re complaining Presidential election about gridlock – hell, we’d love to year, we came just 807 have gridlock.” Looking through votes from losing con- the perspective of someone from trol of the Iowa Sen- Michigan, or Wisconsin, or Indi- ate. That’s out of over ana, or many other states, we get it. 1.5 million votes cast Here we are complaining that we that year. We were just can’t get things passed though the 807 votes from losing Iowa House because of anti-worker collective bargaining, control, yet they have had the labor worker’s compensa- landscape radically changed be- tion being heavily cause of complete control of their tilted toward employ- state governments by anti-worker ers, or from facing the forces. full assault of prisons Now of course I’m not saying being privatized and that this status quo is acceptable further degradation of mental health that we’ve taken to the streets will Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. for workers in Iowa. The status services in this state. The stakes are be reflected in the work of the Iowa The opinion polls are close, and your quo here is far from acceptable, but high for union members, and they Legislature. brothers and sisters need all of your what we are saying is look around are high for all of the people that At the Republican National Con- help that can be spared. Thank you in the Midwestern United States and members work with and work for vention this year in Cleveland, Gov- advance for everything you’ll be do- you’ll see proof that anti-worker on a daily basis. ernor Scott Walker of Wisconsin told ing this year to ensure a pro-worker forces are out to destroy us. The doors that you knock, the the Iowa Delegation that there was majority in Congress, the state Legis- Who in their lifetime would calls that you make, the workplace “no end to the good you can do with lature, and to elect a President who have thought that Michigan would conversations you have, all add up. a Republican House, Senate, and actually cares about workers. 60th Annual Convention A Success The 60th annual con- Another resolution that vention of the Iowa Feder- passed deals with sup- ation of Labor was held in porting the Union Veter- August. A celebration was ans Council of the AFL- held to recognize the his- CIO. The resolution called tory and accomplishments for the IFL and affiliates to of the organization over support and promote the the last 60 years. AFL-CIO Union Veterans Iowa’s Central Labor Council and encourage its Councils are merging to members to join and par- become Area Labor Fed- ticipate. erations (ALF’s), therefore The other resolutions a constitutional change dealt with opposing disas- was adopted to include trous trade policies, chang- ALF presidents on the ing the process for updat- IFL Board. This change ing the president’s salary brought about the elimi- and Celebrating the IFL nation of the CLC board 60th Anniversary. position. CLC Board mem- Delegates and guests ber Bruce Clark was ap- from many unions partici- pointed to fill a vacant at- pated in the convention. large board position. Also Endorsements, resolu- Eric Brenneman, member tions, and constitutional of the Iowa Fire Fighters (IAFF) state convention. The committee Community Services, Ethical changes were adopted. Many com- resigned from the board and John structure changes created six con- Practice, Federal Unions, Human mitments to work the political pro- Jensen (IAFF) was appointed to vention committees: Appeals and Rights, Industrial/Private Sector, gram were made. that vacancy. Grievances, Credentials/Roll Call, Organizing, Public Employees and Soon the IFL will have clips of the There was also a constitutional Constitution, Resolutions, Rules Veterans. These committees are to convention on YouTube , https:// amendment to change the commit- and Sergeant at Arms. meet throughout the year. Anyone www.youtube.com/user/AFLCIO- tee structure with the IFL. Many of In addition to the convention interested in being a part of any of Iowa as well as photos from the the committees had not been very committees, nine standing commit- these committees needs to contact convention on Flickr. https://www. functional and most only met at the tees were created: Building Trades, the Iowa Federation of Labor. flickr.com/photos/iowafedaflcio/ Page 4 IOWA AFL-CIO NEWS September 2016 Iowa Federation Of Labor & Iowa CLC Endorsements 2016

PATTY JUDGE MONICA VERNON U.S. Senate U.S. House 1st District HILLARY CLINTON President HOUSE DISTRICTS (HD) HOUSE DISTRICTS (HD) HD 7: Dave Grussing HD 56: GENERAL ELECTION HD 9: HD 57: Tom Stecher ENDORSEMENTS HD 11: Sara Huddleston HD 58: Jessica Kean HD 12: Ken Myers HD 59: President: Hillary Clinton HD 13: HD 60: Gary Kroeger (Endorsement made by AFL-CIO) HD 14: Timothy Kacena HD 61: Timi Brown-Powers HD 15: Charlie McConkey HD 62: Ras Smith US Senate: Patty Judge HD 16: Steve Gorman HD 63: Teresa Meyer HD 17: Jan Creasman HD 64: Bruce Bearinger CD 1: Monica Vernon HD 19: Bryce Smith HD 65: CD 2: Dave Loebsack HD 25: Justin Knight HD 66: Art Stead CD 3: Jim Mowrer HD 26: HD 67: Mark Seidl CD 4: Kim Weaver HD 27: Rich Higdon HD 68: Molly Donahue HD 28: Martin Duffy IV HD 69: Kirsten Running-Marquardt IOWA STATE HOUSE and HD 29: HD 70: SENATE ENDORSEMENTS HD 30: Joe Riding HD 71: Mark Smith HD 31: Rick Olson HD 72: Nathan Wrage SENATE DISTRICTS (SD) HD 32: HD 74: Dave Jacoby SD 4: Susan Bangert HD 33: HD 75: Paula Denison SD 8: Mike Gronstal HD 34: Bruce Hunter HD 76: Jacob Tornholm SD 10: Matt Paladino HD 35: Ako Abdul Samad HD 77: SD 16 HD 36: HD 81: SD 20: Miyoko Hikiji HD 37: Andrea Phillips HD 83: SD 22: Andrew Barnes HD 38: HD 84: Carrie Duncan SD 26: Mary Jo Wilhelm HD 39: Maridith Morris HD 85: SD 28: Jan Heikes HD 40: John Forbes HD 86: SD 30: Jeff Danielson HD 41: HD 88: Ryan Drew SD 32: Brian Schoenjahn HD 42: HD 89: SD 34: HD 43: Jennifer Konfrst HD 90: SD 36: Steve Sodders HD 45: Beth Wessel-Krochell HD 91: Phil Wiese SD 38: Dennis Mathahs HD 46: HD 92: Ken Krumwiede SD 42: Rich Taylor HD 47: Deb Duncan HD 93: SD 44: Thomas Courtney HD 48: Sherrie Taha HD 95: Richard Whitehead SD 46: Chris Brase HD 50: Doris Fritz HD 96: Matt Hanlon SD 48: Scott Peterson HD 51: Tim Hejhal HD 97: Jeff Wolf SD 50: HD 52: HD 98: HD 53: Sharon Steckman HD 99: Abby Finkenauer HD 55: Pat Ritter HD 100: September 2016 IOWA AFL-CIO NEWS Page 5 Iowa Federation Of Labor & Iowa CLC Endorsements 2016

DAVE LOEBSACK JIM MOWRER KIM WEAVER U.S. House 2nd District U.S. House 3rd District U.S. House 4th District

CENTRAL LABOR COUNCIL ENDORSEMENTS for LOCAL RACES

Hawkeye Labor Council Iowa City Federation of Labor Stacey Walker, Linn County Supervisor Rod Sullivan, Johnson County Supervisor Brent Oleson, Linn County Supervisor Lisa Green Douglass, Johnson County Supervisor Ben Rogers, Linn County Supervisor Travis Weipert, Johnson County Auditor Joan Flecksing, Benton County Supervisor Lonnie Pulkrabek, Johnson County Sheriff Doug Klein, Cedar County Supervisor Des Moines Henry County Labor Council Black Hawk Union Council Mike Johnstone, Des Moines County Sheriff Chris Schwartz, Black Hawk County Supervisor Lee County Labor Council Quad City Federation of Labor Gary Folluo, Lee County Supervisor Scott Tunnicliff, Scott County Supervisor Stacy Weber, Lee County Sheriff Roxanna Moritz, Scott County Auditor Peter Bawden, Scott County Sheriff Dubuque Federation of Labor Jane Duax, Scott County Supervisor Dave Baker, Dubuque County Supervisor Kas Kelly, Muscatine County Supervisor Denise Dolan, Dubuque County Auditor Nathan Reichert, Muscatine County Supervisor NW Iowa Labor Council Clinton Labor Congress Jackie Smith, Woodbury County Supervisor Ed Staszewski, Clinton County Supervisor Pat Gill, Woodbury County Auditor Eric Van Lancker, Clinton County Auditor Dave Drew, Woodbury County Sheriff Rick Lincoln, Clinton County Sheriff VOTE November 8th Page 6 IOWA AFL-CIO NEWS September 2016 LABOR DAY: Recovering Iowa Workers' Heritage Labor Day has a long and sto- history. We should remember that tury, this Iowa labor movement had an open organization of trade ried history in the United States. Its Iowa was once home to thousands come together with a new genera- unionists, educators, and inter- origins lie in the great labor strikes of immigrant coal miners, many of tion of workers to expand the ben- ested members of the public. It has of the nineteenth century and the them members of the United Mine efits of collective bargaining to pub- undertaken an ambitious program search by workers for recognition Workers of America. When those lic-sector workers and to fight for of recovering and making more ac- and dignity. Workers first claimed mines closed in the early twentieth the rights of students, the disabled, cessible the rich history of working May 1 as a labor “holiday,” unrec- century, they and their children and the poor. Over the last several people in the state of Iowa. ILHS ognized by their employers or the envisions developing materials to state, and used it to celebrate their assist teachers and students, mark- work, to demonstrate their efforts at ing and publicizing historic sites, self-improvement, and, ultimately, commemorating key moments in to demand equal rights. They pa- Iowa’s labor history, and advocat- raded by the thousands through ing for collecting, documenting, major cities; they held picnics and and making accessible the rich festivals at which they listened to body of documents, photographs, their most famed orators, sang labor and memoirs that tell labor’s story. songs, recited poetry, and generally It is our hope that such initiatives enjoyed themselves. They also or- will help to deepen and enrich the ganized to more effectively fight for public’s appreciation for what or- the eight-hour day, the right to be- ganized working people have done long to unions, and to have a voice to improve their lives and the vital- in public affairs. ity of their communities. These ini- Early newspaper accounts show tiatives can be a major step toward that Iowa workers, closely connect- reviving the kind of public celebra- ed to these major struggles, began joined union tradesmen and farm- decades, they have been joined by tion of “Labor Day” that the holi- organizing large annual Labor Day workers in Iowa’s growing cities new migrants, this time from across day deserves—one that not only celebrations from the 1880s onward and towns. Once there, they came the globe, who have once again remembers the past but also recog- in communities like Ottumwa, Bur- together with black workers from made the claim that immigrants’ nizes and contributes to more such lington, and many others. Eventu- the US South to form some of Iowa’s rights are workers’ rights. improvements in the future. ally, in 1893, the federal govern- first industrial unions, including the Despite these dramatic events, Shel Stromquist, Professor Emeri- ment sanctioned an official federal United Auto Workers (UAW), Farm too few Iowans know about the tus, University of Iowa Department of holiday as “Labor Day” on the first Equipment Workers (FE), Packing- labor history waiting to be discov- History; author, Solidarity and Surviv- Monday of September. Labor Day house Workers (UPWA), and Rub- ered, celebrated, debated, and built al: an Oral History of Iowa Labor in the parades and celebrations can still be ber (now Steel) Workers (URW), upon in their own communities. Twentieth Century. found across Iowa and the nation, which fought for better pay and Fortunately, union members and John W. McKerley, Iowa Labor His- with workers continuing to cele- benefits as well as a range of com- other Iowans have stepped in to fill tory Oral Project oral historian, Uni- brate the ways in which unions im- munity improvements, including this void. In July, they formed the versity of Iowa Labor Center; and presi- prove not only their lives but those racial justice. By the end of the cen- Iowa Labor History Society (ILHS), dent, Iowa Labor History Society. of their neighbors. Thus, on Labor Day, of all days, it seems fitting to remember the role that Iowa workers and their unions play in the state’s still unfolding Raise The Wage Movement YOUR Is Growing In Iowa The effort to raise the minimum County Labor Council  Lee County is work- wage in Iowa has gotten off to a and a pastor at St. Pe- ing on a study group. VOTE good start in Johnson County (Iowa ters United Church  Woodbury City) and has since gained traction of Christ in Frank- County is working in Polk County (Des Moines), Linn lin. “We sometimes on a commission to IS County (Cedar Rapids), Lee County justify poverty by study an increase (Keokuk) Jefferson County (Fair- assuming that cer- The United Way field) Woodbury (Sioux City), and tain workers are not ALICE Report for YOUR Wapello County (Ottumwa). worthy of a living Iowa, concluded Some of the counties are forming wage. But in my eyes, that 31 percent of Io- “study groups” while others are in and I’m sure in God’s wans are working but VOICE. the process of Board of Supervisor eyes, all of us are children of do not earn enough to cov- hearings and votes. God, made in God’s image, and we er the basic costs of living (ALICE Peter Fisher of the Iowa Policy deserve a living wage.” is short for Asset Limited, Income BE Project has stated that “. . . low  Johnson County already Constrained, Employed). The re- wage workers will spend much of passed a minimum wage ordinance, port was commissioned by United their higher incomes in the local which will see local minimum wage Ways of Iowa, an association of the HEARD. economy. I think is is safe to say that increase to $10.10 by January. 25 local United Ways that serve workers benefiting from a raise in  A Polk County task force final- more than half of Iowa’s 99 coun- the minimum wage will not be tak- ized its proposal that would roll out ties. ing those dollars to an offshore ac- a minimum wage of $10.75 by 2019. On average, the study found count or buying a yacht. They will  And Linn County supervisors that two parents working full- use those dollars locally, thus put- will take the first of three votes this time in Iowa would need to earn ting more money back into the local week on an ordinance that would at least $11.67 per hour to cover VOTE economy.” raise the wage to $10.25 per hour. basic household costs — Or $23.34 “I believe that a job shouldn’t  Jefferson County has passed a per hour for one parent working 40 keep a person in poverty, but it $10.10 wage by January. hours a week. NOV. 8th should lift them up out of poverty,”  Wapello has yet to finalize their The minimum wage, in Iowa, has said Mike Bennett, president of Lee vote on a $10.10 increase by 2019. not been increased since 2008. September 2016 IOWA AFL-CIO NEWS Page 7 Hillary Clinton: A Proven Leader Millions of working people in UNEMPLOYMENT against the Central American Free Island were on strike and Clinton unions endorsed Hillary Clinton BENEFITS Trade Agreement. She also support- fought tirelessly alongside them for president of the United States Clinton was there for New York- ed Department of Labor employ- for those two years. Together, they because she is a proven leader who ers during the economic downturn ees in maintaining the Workforce were successful in kicking out a bad shares our values and has demon- of 2008. She co-authored and fought Investment Act program and the contractor and getting our brothers strated a strong commitment to the for legislation to extend the unem- Wagner-Peyser Act. and sisters back to work. issues that matter to working peo- ployment benefits program, which COLLECTIVE BARGAINING TRADE ADJUSTMENT ple. provided much-needed economic While serving in the Senate, ASSISTANCE “If I am elected President, workers support to working families. Clinton assisted working people When corporate CEOs close man- will always have a seat at the table and OUTSOURCING in unions in negotiating new con- ufacturing plants, they are not wor- a champion in the White House.” Clinton and more than 20 other tracts, including the IBEW (Nation- ried about the impact this has on the —Hillary Clinton senators sent a letter to President al Grid/Niagara Mohawk), RWD- working people and communities Hillary Clinton has a long his- George Bush calling on him to re- SU/UNITE HERE (Duane Reade), that have supported these plants for tory of advocating for families ject a Council of Economic Advis- SMART (United Technologies/ years. However, Clinton has shown and working people. She believes ers report saying that the exporting Carrier), RWDSU (Oak Hollow/ time and again that she is commit- that paid family leave, earned sick of jobs overseas could be beneficial Crest Hall nursing homes), Build- ted to working families and com- days, fair schedules, equal pay to the economy. She introduced a ing Trades (Lafarge), IUE-CWA munities during those difficult for women and quality affordable resolution calling on the Senate to (Caldwell Manufacturing) and LI- times. In fact, when the Nestle plant child care are critical, as well as the oppose any efforts to outsource UNA (Department of Labor). closed in 2004, Clinton called Nes- right to come together in union and jobs. WORKER HEALTH tle Corp. executives to push them negotiate for a better life. Here are MANUFACTURING AND SAFETY to keep the plant open. Although 10 ways Clinton stands with work- Clinton worked on a bipartisan Clinton helped secure significant profit trumped people and the plant ing people: Senate Manufacturing Caucus to funding for New York and to work- closed, Clinton was able to secure EQUAL PAY confront the problems facing do- ers impacted by the 9/11 terrorist Trade Adjustment Assistance fund- While in the U.S. Senate, Clin- mestic manufacturers and the work- attacks. She fought for millions ing for working people impacted by ton consistently fought to decrease ing people that hold those jobs. of dollars in medical monitoring the plant closure. the wage gap between working WORKING FAMILIES funds to help workers at Ground TRADE men and women. She championed LEGISLATION Zero and for assistance to affected As senator, Clinton intervened strengthening the Equal Pay Act Clinton supports the Employee families and laid-off workers. with the Bush administration to and became a prime supporter of Free Choice Act and the Employee WORKPLACE SOLIDARITY protect jobs when they were threat- the Lilly Ledbetter Act. Right to Choose Act, and she voted For two years, members at Plum ened by Chinese trade barriers. What Do Working People Want? By Working America Coalition job for everyone who wants one in ployer-provided benefits stopped. It is time for equality at work We want elected leaders who America. People under 65 years old should and in our communities. Every- think big. Today, two families It’s time for new financial rules be able to opt into Medicare, and one deserves this, without regard control more wealth than half our that encourage productive invest- America should create a public to who they love or how they look. population. One family is spending ments in job-creating businesses. health insurance option. The families of the millions of hard- almost a billion dollars to influence We will push to break up too-big- We believe everyone deserves to working immigrants who do our our elections. Meanwhile, more to-fail banks. retire with dignity. We stand for toughest jobs deserve full citizen- than 60% of American households America must invest in the na- strengthening and expanding Social ship, nothing less. It is time we stop are one missed paycheck away tional infrastructure for a 21st cen- Security and will fight any cuts to abusive employers who use our im- from economic calamity. This is tury economy. This means trillions Social Security or Medicare. Prom- migration system to exploit people. not the America we should leave of dollars of new investments in ises to pensioners should be sacred. We support the full restoration our children. We can and must do our transportation, water, commu- Employers should not be able to of citizenship rights for formerly better. nications, and energy systems—in- use bankruptcy to back out of their incarcerated people. We need safer We will fight for an inclusive cluding universal broadband, high obligations, and public employees’ working conditions for the work- economy that lifts wages, improves speed rail, and a smart electrical pensions must be protected against ers of this system as well as humane working conditions, and grows the grid. Wall Street attacks. treatment for the people incarcer- middle class. We respect the dig- Our country can and should pro- Working people deserve the right ated. The operation of our criminal nity of each individual and believe mote manufacturing in America to join together to demand bet- justice system is a governmental everyone has a right to share in the again. We must change our trade ter wages and working conditions function, and it must be accountable wealth they helped create. rules to prioritize the interests of the without fear of firing or retaliation to the public. We stand for families and fair- American people, instead of global – whether we work at Walmart or In our America, we respect each ness. Laws must recognize the fact corporations. We oppose all trade Nissan or Uber or in the public sec- other, we take care of each other that most parents work and that agreements that give new rights tor in Wisconsin or the private sec- and we invest in our country so all many people care for aging par- to foreign corporations, allow cur- tor in Mississippi. And we want may find prosperity, not only the ents. We stand for every working rency manipulation to continue, en- teeth in these laws, so employers wealthy few. person having paid sick days, paid courage the offshoring of jobs, and can’t delay and defy the rules for This is the America we will win family leave, and predictable sched- repress workers’ rights and wages. years while workers wait for justice. in November. ules. It’s past time for equal pay for That is why we strongly oppose the women. Trans-Pacific Partnership and reject Everyone who works—including a lame duck vote. We want to elimi- Tell Senator Grassley those who work for tips—deserves nate all incentives, including tax he needs to do his job! a $15-an-hour minimum wage in- loopholes, that encourage compa- The Constitution dexed to the cost of living. nies to offshore jobs. doesn’t make We are willing to fight for our We believe it’s time to invest in exceptions for democracy: For the expansion and our communities again, starting election years. protection of voting rights at the with publicly financed pre-school. Senate obstruction federal and state level and for an We want every child to have first of nominee Judge end to elections bought and paid for rate education that includes access Garland is on the by corporations and their billion- to a college education or vocational aires. training. wrong side of history. The key to addressing wage We are committed to affordable, The public wants stagnation and growing inequality quality health care for all, and ulti- action. is rebuilding workers’ bargaining mately, a single-payer system. We #DoYourJob power. That begins with full em- want the health care excise tax re- GrassleyDoYourJob.com ployment. There should be a good pealed and the assault on good em- Page 8 IOWA AFL-CIO NEWS September 2016 Keep Courts Politics-Free By Connie Ryan, ruled on marriage equality are on constitution, all three have earned over the Supreme Court, it’s time Chair, Justice Not Politics the ballot for retention: Justices Judicial Performance scores of to focus on issues like workers Iowa’s judicial system is one Mark Cady, Daryl Hecht, and Brent near or above 90 out of 100 by the rights, the economy, education and of the best in the country. Iowans Appel. And we expect the far right Iowa State Bar Association. These health care. have been dedicated to fair and will be at it again, trying to inject Justices have consistently At Justice Not Politics, we will impartial courts since even before politics into Iowa’s fair and impar- worked to ensure do our part to mobilize our net- our state was formed, with the tial courts. greater works of tens of thousands of first ruling from the Iowa Supreme Before they strike with their mis- supporters, and the hundreds of thousands of Io- wans that are con- nected to our coali- tion partners in the faith community, the legal commu- nity, the business community and in organized labor. We hope you will do the same, talk- ing with your mem- bers and letting them know how important it is that we protect Iowa’s courts. Our courts are the envy of the na- tion, not just for their fairness and consistency, but for the nonpartisan way in which our judges are selected. Removing these access to justice for Iowans all three Justices would politicize the information, across our state, including those one branch of our government that we wanted you to get who have been victims of terrible is supposed to protect the con- to know these Justices and why crimes, like domestic violence and stitution and serve as a check on you should support their retention. human trafficking. Allowing them the other branches of government Court deter- They have more than 38 years of to be removed from the Supreme and partisan politics. This fall we mining that we would be a free experience serving on the Iowa Su- Court would be a huge mistake, encourage you to turn over your state - almost 25 years before the preme Court. For their records of putting our court’s fairness and ballot and vote for Iowa’s courts to Civil War. That proud tradition of honesty, impartiality, fairness, and impartiality at risk. And instead of remain fair and impartial and free judicial independence continued, consistently upholding of our state spending another election fighting from politics. and in the early 1960s we adopted a merit system to select our judges. While other states run campaigns where judges have to raise money and become highly political, our Progress Iowa Corn Feed judges are selected on their merits alone. This system has served us well, and until recently the system of merit selection and retention has created a court system free from political influence. Then, in 2010, the extreme right wing ran a campaign funded by out-of-state donors and ousted three justices who ruled in favor of marriage equality. For the first time in our state’s history, politics had infected our courts. Those out of state donors had no real inter- est in Iowa, and were some of the same right wing interest groups whose agenda includes attacks on the rights of workers to bargain collectively. Their interest was, and is, power and control. Because our courts are free from political influ- ence, they couldn’t buy their way to pursuing their right wing agen- da. They didn’t stop in 2010, unfor- tunately. They attempted to change Iowa’s laws to have judges run for office, just like politicians. But that effort was defeated in the legisla- ture. And in 2012, they lost their ef- fort to oust another Iowa Supreme Progress Iowa hosted the second annual Corn Feed in Des Moines. Guest Speakers were: Dave Loebsack at Court Justice. podium, seated left to right: Kim Weaver, Monica Vernon, Patty Judge, Mark Smith, Pam Jochum, Stephanie This year three Justices who Schriock (President Emily’s List), Martin O’Malley and behind the interpreter is Jim Mowrer.