(C) Iowa Capital Dispatch
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House Democrats introduce proposals on collective bargaining, state retirement accounts [1]
['Robin Opsahl', 'More From Author', '- February']
Date: 2024-02-27
Iowa House Democrats laid out proposals Tuesday they say will help Iowa workers, including measures to add collective bargaining rights to the state constitution and raise the minimum wage.
Members of the minority party laid out five components of their proposal on workers’ pay. The bills introduced include House File 2293, which would gradually increase Iowa’s minimum wage from $7.25 to $15 per hour by July 2026, House File 2300, extending the state’s sales tax-free holiday in August from two days to two weeks and House File 2338, extending state child care assistance to children with parents or guardians employed at a child care facility.
House Joint Resolution 2003, another measure introduced Tuesday, would amend the state constitution to add that employees have the “fundamental right to organize and to bargain collectively through representatives of their own choosing for the purpose of negotiating wages, hours, and other terms and conditions of employment,” as well as to protect their economic welfare and safety in the workplace.
Rep. Jerome Amos Jr., D-Waterloo, said the constitutional amendment will give union members more opportunities for collective bargaining in the wake of a 2017 law that made major changes to public sector collective bargaining laws. Amos, who has been a union member for more than 49 years, said the measure would ensure public and private sector employees “have the opportunity to collectively bargain in good faith.”
“It is something that is important, from a standpoint of individuals being able to make sure that they are being able to provide for their families properly,” Amos said. “Unionism, being a union member all this time — it has provided me with many opportunities to lead a good life. Unions help start the middle class.”
The proposal comes as Senate Republicans are considering legislation that union advocates say would significantly impede Iowans’ collective bargaining rights. Workers’ rights advocates have held multiple demonstrations in opposition to Senate File 2374, a bill requiring the decertification of public employee unions if a government employer fails provide a list of employees to the Public Employee Relations Board within 10 days of receiving written notice of intent to conduct a certification election.
House Minority Leader Jennifer Konfrst said she hopes the decertification proposal is not taken up by House Republicans.
“It doesn’t appear to be something that is at all good for workers,” Konfrst said. “… It’s a political attack on our public sector workers, on unions, and it’s a game. So my hope is we don’t see it in the House.”
Democrats also spoke about another proposal, not yet introduced as a bill, to require employers automatically enroll their employees into a individual retirement account through the Iowa Retirement Savings Plan Trust, if the employer does not offer retirement plans directly. Employees would have the option to opt out of the program.
Rep. Austin Baeth, D-Des Moines, said the measure is necessary because of national and state research finding that many workers are not prepared for retirement. Only half of Iowa workers have a retirement savings plan, he said, and one-third of private sector workers in the state do not have access to a retirement savings plan through their employer.
Right now, state data shows that 19% of Iowa seniors rely solely on Social Security for income, Baeth said.
“It’s not right that so many of Iowa’s seniors, at a time when they should be enjoying the fruits of their labor, or instead of just struggling to get by,” Baeth said.
Similar programs have been implemented in 19 other states, he said, which have been “doing a remarkable job closing that gap” for workers without retirement savings plans.
Though the bills were introduced, some have missed the “funnel” deadline earlier in February, meaning they are not eligible for consideration. Though legislation involving tax, spending and government oversight are exempt from the deadline, Republican leaders are unlikely to take up the bills. But Konfrst said introducing the bills is a means to start the conversation on these issues — and that Democrats will likely bring these proposals to the floor as amendments to other bills.
Konfrst said Democrats want to send a message to Iowa workers: “We see you.”
“We understand how frustrated you are,” Konfrst said. “We know that you’re tired of seeing corporations hoard money while you’ve struggled to pay your bills. We know that you’re frustrated that culture war issues are dominating the debate up here while your issues are being ignored by the majority party. And we know that it’s time to put the political games aside and start doing things that will help most Iowans make ends meet, live fuller lives and enjoy and stay in the state we call home.”
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