Labor
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Support for capitalism at ‘record low,’ says new survey
Americans are starting to sour on capitalism. That’s according to the latest Gallup survey, which found the number of US adults who say they support capitalism—”an economic system characterized by private or corporate ownership of capital goods,” per Merriam-Webster—is at a record low. To be clear, “record low” is still more than half—54% of all adults still…
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Iowa Worker’s Almanac: News, unionizing, and layoffs for Sept. 4, 2025
From the Iowa Worker’s Almanac: News you can use for the week of Sept. 4, 2025:
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Labor unions starting to endorse Iowa candidates
Labor unions are just starting to endorse candidates for 2026. It’s still very early for this, but here are a few I’ve seen so far:
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Iowa Worker’s Almanac: Layoffs and news briefs, Aug. 29
Iowa Worker’s Almanac: Layoffs and news briefs, Aug. 29
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Iowa Worker’s Almanac: Working class news and upcoming layoffs, Aug. 21
Muscatine construction worker and victim of crime jailed: Jesús Hernández was shot when two people tried stealing his car. After a hospital stay, he went to pick up his car—and immigration enforcement officials detained him for being undocumented. Congress created a U-visa that protects victims of crime who assist in prosecutions, but so far the county attorney has refused…
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Iowa has a dire shortage of nurses. Here’s why
(This story first appeared in the Iowa Worker’s Almanac, and is a subscriber exclusive.) You probably already know Iowa has a problem getting qualified health care workers: We’re 44th in the nation for physicians to patients, or 30% worse than the national average; The problem is particularly bad in our nursing homes; Iowa Republicans passed a bill to fund…
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From the Iowa Worker’s Almanac: Layoffs and news for the working class, Aug. 14, 2025
Fox guarding the henhouse: A former Tyson executive now oversees the safety of the US meat supply. (Sentient Media) Designed to discriminate: By gutting the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, Trump is making it easier for federal contractors to discriminate—all underwritten by your tax dollars. (EPI) Honduran, Nicaraguan, and Nepalese workers can stay, for now, after a judge halted Trump’s order to end Temporary Protective…
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Iowa DOGE recommends cutting public worker IPERS for new hires
The Iowa DOGE task force wants to cut IPERS for new hires, the public employee retirement system that thousands of teachers, corrections officers, and more rely on to get them through their golden years. This does not sit well with those workers, the unions they’re covered by, or young folks thinking about a government job. Some on…
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Iowa DOGE targets retirement pensions for teachers, law enforcement
A taskforce appointed by Gov. Kim Reynolds recommended eliminating the state pension system for new employees and replacing it with a 401(k)-style plan. Iowa DOGE’s proposal has sparked fierce, bipartisan opposition. Governor Kim Reynolds promised in 2018 she’d “protect and defend” Iowa’s public employee retirement program, IPERS. Approaching her final year as governor, her administration…
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OPINION: Iowans need to stand up to agricultural monopolies for the sake of our water
After years of consolidation in the agriculture industry, just a handful of companies control how our water is treated. When political leaders and regulators were focused on ensuring a distributed economy that supported diversified farming operations, small farmers, and thriving rural towns, there were less nitrates in the water. Unfortunately, when Iowa officials decided to…
