Trades council endorses Corbett, 3 others in Cedar Rapids council races

The Cedar Rapids/Iowa City Building & Construction Trades Council AFL-CIO has endorsed Mayor Ron Corbett and three other candidates among the 17 competing for six City Council seats on the Nov. 5 election ballot.

The labor group also is endorsing at-large incumbent Chuck Swore, at-large candidate Susie Weinacht and District 5 incumbent Justin Shields, who is running unopposed.

Corbett, Swore and Shields, a local labor leader, were among council members who championed the use of a project labor agreement on the city's convention complex project. The city eventually backed away from the agreement in a dispute with Gov. Terry Branstad over state funding for the project. Branstad opposed project labor agreements. However, the city subsequently approved a project labor agreement for its hotel renovation and parking ramp projects, neither of which had state funding.

Weinacht is part-time manager for RWDSU-UFCW Local 110.

The trades council did not endorse any candidates in the District 1 or District 3 council races. District 1 incumbent Kris Gulick is a certified public accountant and owner of a business consulting firm, and District 3 incumbent Pat Shey owns and operates a green insulation company, Sage Companies Inc., and is an attorney and former state legislator. Shey voted against the project labor agreement on the convention complex project.

Ray Dochterman, president of the trades council, said Monday that the council endorses candidates based on three attributes: the ability to keep their word; demonstrated commitment to the community; and dedication to economic progress that addresses the concerns of both business and labor.