Last week we brought you the heartbreaking story of how our AFSCME union brothers and sisters in Iowa had their union contract decimated from a nearly 260-page document of substance to a 26-page spineless shell. This came about, no thanks to anti-union, conservative politicians, including the Iowa governor and legislature, who stripped AFSCME members there of their collective bargaining rights early in 2017.
Now, we want to give you even more insight into the administrative nightmare taking place in Iowa. In addition to members of AFSCME Iowa Council 61 only being allowed to bargain three items, the union must also hold union recertification elections EVERY YEAR for their 47 bargaining units––for a grand total of 240 elections. The union has until the end of October to complete the recertification elections of each bargaining unit.
Not only is this a waste of representative resources, these elections are set up to dismantle unions. If a member vote fails (fewer than 50% +1 YES votes from ALL contract-covered employees), contracts will be immediately terminated and employees will not be eligible for A UNION CONTRACT for at least two years.
Show your support collective bargaining by signing the OCSEA Pledge for Power. Let your Bargaining Team know that you've got their backs and that, together, we will stand up to any attacks that come our way. OCSEA.org/pledging-for-power
Read more:
The Des Moines Register - High stakes for Iowa's public workers as union recertification votes begin
The Scarlet and Black - Public Sector employees to vote on union recertification