Iowa Worker’s Almanac news briefs, May 21, 2026:
Nearly 1 in 3 kids lack child care, or more than 4.1 million children across the US. That’s estimated to cost the economy $329 billion over the next decade. And the number of child care centers is actually decreasing.
Suspending the gas tax would not only further underfund highway construction, but probably wouldn’t even reach us at all.
He keeps saying “farmers love me,” but I’m skeptical.
Wages have fallen 12% globally, but guess who’s wages didn’t?
Here’s what affordability actually means: It’s not just prices.
Understatement of the week: Employers “are being a little bit conservative in terms of their hiring numbers.”
Maybe try construction? The US will need almost 350K new construction workers this year alone to keep up with demand. A free idea: Stop deporting immigrants, 30% of whom make up the construction workforce.
AFL-CIO endorses primary candidates: If you’re voting in your party’s primary election June 2 and looking for labor-endorsed candidates, the Iowa Federation of Labor has a list here.
Zach Wahls picks up more union endorsements: The candidate for US Senate was endorsed May 6 by Plumbers and Pipefitters UA Local 25, endorsed May 7 by American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 2547, and endorsed May 11 by Iowa Professional Fire Fighters. “We know he’s a fighter—for working families, for good union jobs, and for the trades that keep Iowa running,” said Matt Lienen, Business Manager of UA Local 25. “Zach Wahls understands the value of the work they do and will fight to protect it,” said AFGE Local 2547 President Patrick Kearns. “Iowa Professional Fire Fighters know Zach will fight for us, for our pensions, our health care, our staffing, our families, and the communities we serve,” said IPFF President Ryan Hanghian. Wahls was also personally endorsed May 14 by Scott Punteney, Teamsters 238 Business Agent and President of Iowa City Federation of Labor; Chris Martin, President of UNI United Faculty; and Todd Hartsell, Former Teamsters 90 President. “I’ve spent my career fighting for working people, and I know what it looks like when a candidate actually has their back—and Zach Wahls is that candidate,” Punteney said.
Starting up a union: Fourteen full-time, part-time, and on-call bus and paratransit drivers at Siouxland Regional Transit System filed a petition Monday to hold an election on whether to unionize with AFSCME Council 61.
Voting on a union: Eighteen full- and part-time maintenance workers at Fair Oaks Foods in Davenport will vote June 17 on whether to unionize with UFCW Local 431.
Upcoming layoffs:
All information taken from Iowa Workforce Development’s WARN Act website. Read WARN Act and Iowa WARN Act criteria here.
- CNH Industrial in Burlington is closing and laying off:
one worker by Friday,
seven workers by May 29,
15 workers by June 26,
13 workers by Sept. 25, and
five workers by Dec. 31.
Read more here. - Wells Fargo in West Des Moines is laying off:
62 workers by May 30,
25 workers by June 13,
10 workers by June 27, and
29 by July 11.
Read more here. - First Student in Waterloo is closing and laying off 120 workers by June 30. Read more here.
