Labor & Employment Law

Iowa Gov. Won?t Launch Wisconsin-Like Assault on Rights, But Other Threats Remain

By Mike Hall

Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad (R ) says he will not mount an all-out attack on public workers? right to bargain for middle class jobs like his fellow Republican governors Scott Walker in Wisconsin and John Kasich in Ohio.

?This is not Wisconsin. It?s Iowa,? he told reporters. But he is backing legislation that while not as sweeping as that in Wisconsin and Ohio, would weaken public workers collective bargaining rights.

Also when he took office in January, Branstad issued an executive order banning the use of project labor agreements (PLA) on any construction project that receives state funding.

That has lead to a stand off between Branstad and the city of Cedar Rapids that in December included a PLA for a $75 million convention center complex due to receive $15 million in state funds. The city says the PLA was authorized before Branstad?s order and the governor says he will not release the funds.

PLAs are pre-hire agreements between labor and management. The agreements require all construction jobs to be filled by local workers, include diversity requirements, establish wages and work rules covering overtime, working hours and dispute resolution and ensure that safety guidelines on the job site are enforced.

Click here and here for more on PLAs.

Full post as published by AFL-CIO NOW BLOG on February 23, 2011 (boomark / email).