AFSCME president: union members will decide whether to back Culver in re-election bid

JOHNSTON – Whether Iowa's largest public employee union will work to help Democratic Gov. Chet Culver in his re-election bid will be up to the members of the union, its leader said Friday.

GOP challengers are lining up for the chance to take on Culver, who is expected to seek his second term next year. Support for Culver from at least one union is not yet assured.

“That decision will be made by the membership of our union on who they want to endorse,” said Danny Homan, president of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Iowa Council 61. Homan made the comments Friday during a taping of Iowa Public Television's “Iowa Press.”

AFSCME recently wrapped up negotiations with Culver's administration, which sought concessions from the union to balance the state budget. AFSCME's members voted to approve a plan to take five unpaid days off in exchange for protection from layoffs.

It's not the only time Culver and organized labor have been at odds. The governor vetoed a measure backed by unions that would have expanded the scope of issues public employee unions could take to the bargaining table.

“Our relationship is what it is,” Homan said of his dealings with Culver. “I mean, at times it's difficult; at times it's cooperative. I think it's a relationship that will be improved, hopefully, can be improved, hopefully.”

Another top Iowa union leader said she hopes Iowa lawmakers will take another look at organized labor's priorities that have failed to pass until now.

Some of those priorities include allowing employees to choose doctors to treat a workplace injury, allowing unions to charge non-union members a “fair share” for services they provide and setting a prevailing wage for workers on public construction projects.

“They are common-sense items that are prevalent across this nation, and it's really time for Iowa to start catching up,” said Janice Laue, secretary-treasurer of the Iowa Federation of Labor AFL-CIO.

Organized labor needs to do a better job of educating its members and the public about those measures, she said. Encouraging more union members to run for public office is another tactic, especially at the local level, she sad.

“What we really need is a farm team,” Laue said.