Iowa workers injured on the job would receive less medical care and benefits under a plan approved by Republican lawmakers this year. For around 100 years the Iowa’s workers’ compensation law has acted to balance the rights of employers with those of employees. As part of the balance, if an employee is injured, they cannot sue [...]
Despite objections from thousands of Iowans, Republicans at the State Capitol unraveled 40 years of teachers, firefighters, law enforcement, and other working Iowans having a voice in their own workplace this year. Written behind closed doors without input from Iowa workers, House File 291 gutted public sector collective bargaining rights and returns working Iowans to a [...]
Instead of raising wages, Republican lawmakers approved a bill this year to lower wages for 65,000 Iowans. After waiting for Iowa lawmakers to act for nearly a decade, four Iowa counties recently increased the minimum wage in their own communities to finally give a boost to the lowest wage earners. The bill, House File 295, takes [...]
Today House and Senate Democratic Leaders pointed out that the Republicans in charge of state government continue to break promises to create jobs and increase family incomes. “In 2009, Governor Branstad and Lt. Governor Reynolds promised to create 200,000 jobs in five years,” said Senate Democratic Leader Rob Hogg of Cedar Rapids. “After more than 6 [...]
Republicans will stop at nothing to reward corporate special interests while ignoring the hard-working Iowans in their own districts. Thousands and thousands of Iowans have contacted us in person, by phone, and over email to voice their opposition to the Republican bill that takes away rights and will lower wages for working families. But Republicans have [...]
Iowans wanting to get into agriculture must overcome numerous hurdles. In order to keep Iowa’s agricultural economy strong, we must ensure that first time farmers have the resources and support they need to be successful. In 2013, Iowa had 88,500 farms averaging 346 acres. According to United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) statistics, the trend is [...]
A new report shows community college career and technical education programs provide a good economic return for Iowans earning a degree. The "Iowa Community Colleges Education Outcomes Report" links employment and wage information with students who earned diplomas, certificates and associate degrees from Iowa’s community colleges from the 2010 to the 2012 fiscal years. Among the [...]
