Wednesday was a difficult day for The American Independent News Network, which is the larger entity that operates The Iowa Independent. Our chief executive and founder announced two of our sister sites would close and their content would be moved to The American Independent.
A recently introduced bill could have far-reaching impact on the U.S. sugar industry, including American Crystal Sugar, a farmer-owned cooperative that locked out 1,300 Midwest workers on Aug. 1.
The chairman for Herman Cain’s Iowa effort says the campaign “relied more on the word of farmers than Washington regulators” in deciding to run an ad containing claims the Environmental Protection Agency says are false.
The Iowa Senate will remain under the control of a slim 26-25 Democratic majority when it reconvenes in January 2012.
The public will get the opportunity to sound off Monday on legislation proposed by Republicans that would weaken collective bargaining rights for Iowa’s public employees.
A hearing on House Study Bill 117 will be held in the Iowa House chamber on Monday starting at 6:30 p.m. The bill, which was passed out of committee last week after 15 hours of debate and stall tactics by Democrats, makes numerous changes to collective bargaining laws, ranging from allowing the legislature or governor to veto decisions made by an arbitrator to denying unions the ability to negotiate their health insurance or retirement plans. Restrictions or limitations on outsourcing would be lifted, and unions would no longer have any say regarding layoffs. The bill also allows employees to become “free agents,” who can negotiate their terms of employment directly with employers even if they are in a union shop.
Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal (D-Council Bluffs) said last week that the bill “repeals collective bargaining rights, plain and simple. And that’s all it seeks to do.”
Last week, around 1,000 labor supporters rallied at the state Capitol to protest the legislation and stand in solidarity with public employees in Wisconsin, where the Republican governor has proposed a complete elimination of their collective bargaining rights. Then on Saturday, another 500 protesters showed up in the snow to condemn Republican efforts to alter collective bargaining rights.
Those gatherings set the stage for what could be a contentious public hearing Monday.
People wishing to speak can sign up at the Legislative Information Office (LIO), Room G-16 at the Iowa State Capitol, or call the LIO at 515-281-5129.
If unable to attend, you can also e-mail testimony to the LIO at lioinfo@legis.state.is.us. Please type “Testimony” in the subject line.
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