Labor
-
Widow of Iowa correctional officer killed on the job speaks in support of unions
Sara McFarland wants to make sure her husband’s on-the-job death—during the inmate escape attempt at Anamosa State Penitentiary in 2021— wasn’t in vain. Her husband, Robert McFarland, was a correctional officer at Anamosa. He and nurse Lorena Schulte were murdered on March 21, 2021, by two inmates trying to escape from the medium-security facility. “Robert…
-
‘I’m not going to teach in Iowa’: UNI students explain why they’re not sticking around
She grew up in Ames and went to the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) in Cedar Falls to become a teacher. But Lydia plans to leave Iowa as soon as she graduates. “Here at UNI, there’s so much emphasis in our classes on social-emotional learning and inclusion and talking about issues of diversity,” she said.…
-
UPDATE: Seaboard ends contract after 9 kids found working illegally in Sioux City meatpacking plant
At least nine children were working on overnight shifts cleaning dangerous meatpacking equipment at a Sioux City plant, according to court filings Wednesday from the US Department of Labor (DOL). The children were allegedly employed by Fayette Industrial, a Tennessee-based company that contracts with other companies to clean their facilities. Fayette had the children working…
-
Iowa Teamsters head says statewide strikes possible to stop union-busting bill
Jesse Case, secretary-treasurer of Teamsters Local 238, said everything—including strikes—are on the table if that’s what it takes to stop a union-busting bill that has worked its way through the Iowa Senate. For about an hour on Wednesday, Teamsters members and their supporters circled the Iowa Capitol in various vehicles including semitrailers, and honked their…
-
Iowa Republicans have a new union-busting bill
Labor advocates say a new Republican-backed bill that would force public employers in Iowa to submit a list of employees eligible to vote in their union election prior to each election—and, if the state doesn’t get it in time, they’ll decertify the union—is yet another union-busting tactic. Senate Study Bill 3158, introduced by Sen. Adrian…
-
Millions of workers could get more benefits under new Biden policy
The new Labor Department rule could help millions more workers get access to benefits like overtime pay, unemployment insurance, Social Security benefits, employer-offered health insurance, the minimum wage, and paid sick days.
-
If you want to retain Iowa teachers, vote in school board elections
Want to stop the mass exodus of quality teachers from leaving Iowa? Want to make sure they’re not only paid fairly, but feel like their district has their back? Turns out, your vote on Nov. 7 could mean the difference between a school board that cares about teachers and a board that just wants to…
-
340,000 UPS Workers Could Strike on Aug. 1. Here’s Why
UPDATE: As of July 19, UPS has reached out to the International Brotherhood of Teamsters to resume negotiations. Hundreds of thousands of UPS workers are slated to go on strike starting Aug. 1 if their union doesn’t come to a contract agreement with the company by the end of July. Negotiations between the shipping and…
