Iowa House, Senate set to start collective bargaining debate today

Iowa lawmakers get earful of opposition to collective bargaining changes

By James Q. Lynch, Des Moines Bureau

DES MOINES – The Iowa House and Senate will begin a double-barreled debate this afternoon of sweeping changes to the state law that sets the parameters for collective bargaining between state and local governments and public employee unions.

The Senate is scheduled to begin debate at 3 p.m. on Senate File 213

And the House will follow suit at 4 p.m. on its identical bill, House File 291.

To follow a livestream of the Senate debate, go to http://www.legis.state.ia.us/dashboard?view=videoLive&chamber=S.

To follow the House Debate, visit http://www.legis.state.ia.us/dashboard?view=videoLive&chamber=H.

To join a live chat about the legislation and the debate with Des Moines Bureau reporter Erin Murphy and others, go to http://qctimes.com/news/state-and-regional/iowa/live-updates-collective-bargaining-bill-debate-in-iowa/article_82ac9c2a-f2ca-11e6-b54d-bf142fbb01f9.html.

Proponents of the bill say the changes will return local control to local elected officials – school boards, county supervisors and city councils, for example.

However, public sector employees charge that the Republican Statehouse majority's plan would take away their ability to bargain on anything other than base wages. Public safety workers – police and fire – would have broader bargaining rights than others.

Republicans contend the changes are needed to 'rebalance” the interests of public employee and Iowans represented by their state and local elected officials.

SF 213 and HF 291 would modify Chapter 20, which was adopted 43 years ago when the GOP controlled the Legislature and governor's office – as it does today – by limiting the subjects that non-public safety workers can bring to the bargaining table, changing arbitration rules, requiring unions to win a recertification vote before opening contract negotiations and eliminating the longtime practice of gathering dues through payroll deductions.

It also treats public safety employees differently than other public employees. Those not involved in public safety would be able to bargain only for base wages. Under current law, the can bargain for insurance, hours, vacations, holidays, overtime compensation, and health and safety matters.

Although debate is expected to begin today, it is likely to continue for more than a day, perhaps through the week. There are about 60 Democratic amendments to HF 291 and the minority party leaders said they intend to discuss each of its 67 sections of the bill in detail.

Debate could continue through the night, however, the House has a rule prohibiting votes on legislation between midnight and 8 a.m.

WHAT'S IN THE BILL?

Identical bills filed Tuesday in the Iowa House and Senate would bring dramatic changes to how the state's public employees collectively bargain. Here are some of the key pieces of the proposal, much of which exempts public safety officials like state troopers and firefighters:

- Non-public safety employees would be able to collectively bargain only for wages unless both side agree to more. No longer would they automatically be able to bargain for insurance, hours, vacations, holidays, overtime, health and safety matters, and other provisions.

- An arbitrator ruling on a case involving non-public safety employees would be required to consider comparable wages, hours and working conditions of other public employees doing comparable work. Also, to the extent adequate, applicable data is available, an arbitrator would be required to consider comparable wages, hours and working conditions of private sector employees doing comparable work.

- An arbitrator ruling on a case involving non-public safety employees would be required to consider the financial ability of the employer to meet the cost of an offer in light of the current economic conditions of the public employer.

- An arbitrator ruling on a case involving non-public safety employees would not be allowed to consider the public employer's ability to raise taxes to increase revenue, nor would the arbitrator be allowed to consider past collective bargaining agreements.

- Public employee unions would be required to recertify by a majority vote of its total membership, not just of votes cast. If a bargaining unit fails to secure a majority vote, it would be decertified.

- No longer could union dues be automatically deducted from public paychecks.

- A public employee could be fired without the employer establishing proper cause.

l Comments: (319) 398-8375; james.lynch@thegazette.com