Welcome to Thursday’s Almanac. Don’t forget to call in sick tomorrow.

If break time’s over, here’s the tl;dr:

When it comes to using the latest technology to make more money, small farmers know they don’t have the resources of the Big Ag players.

One Iowa college student wants to change that.

Mansur Kasali (pictured above, right), an Iowa college student, told financial experts from around the world this month that we can use technology like artificial intelligence (AI) to help get more loans to small farmers—and, in an era of increasing food insecurity, that it’s vital we do so.

“The defining economic question of our time isn’t really whether opportunity exists,” Kasali said. “The more important question is: How do we actually translate these innovative technologies into meaningful jobs and long-term economic mobility?”

Kasali is a junior at Luther College in Decorah triple-majoring in economics, political science, and international studies. And he’s the youngest person ever to speak at the World Bank–IMF Annual Meetings this month in Washington, DC.

It’s this week’s top story.

Watch the latest edition of Clocked In on:

Read about the initiatives he’s ALREADY founded to help achieve that.

What do the big players in your industry have that you need, but can’t afford? Reply and tell me.

Amie Rivers

Newsletter Editor, Iowa Starting Line

Member, COURIER United (WGA East)

Email me

May Day Strong: It’s International Workers’ Day tomorrow, and maybe a good time to remind our leaders that workers have power. (Too exhausted to attend an event? Staying home works too, bestie.)
Speaking of exhausted: An estimated 476,000 Americans are working two full-time jobs. That’s up from 172,000 in 2015.
More Iowa hospitals get rid of services: MercyOne Clinton announced it would “transition” (aka: get rid of) labor and delivery services out of that location, forcing patients to travel longer distances to give birth. And just this week, MercyOne South Des Moines announced it would end urgent care and family medicine services. Both, the hospital chain noted, were partly because of federal funding cuts to Medicare and Medicaid. “The ability to stay in your community to get care is pretty basic, yet our leaders are too busy stoking culture wars and figuring out how to further rig the system to hold onto power to care,” Iowa governor candidate Rob Sand said in a release. “Time for change.”
It’s National Apprenticeship Week, and while Gov. Kim Reynolds touted the state’s “expanded” apprenticeship programs, she also signed a new law that forbids cities, counties, and school districts from considering such apprenticeship programs as necessary for contractors looking to bid on building projects.
One more attack on labor unions passed the Iowa House this week. “A bad bill—a template from anti-union organizations Mackinac Center Action and Americans for Prosperity, funded by the Koch Bros and Devos Family—is messing in burdensome recertification elections that we are better than 98% successful in,” the Iowa Federation of Labor said in a recent newsletter, asking Iowans to email their legislators.
Whether AI is inevitable or not isn’t the question. It’s whether our leaders will make sure workers are protected.
55% of Americans say their personal financial situation is getting worse, per a new Gallup survey—the highest since 2001.
That includes teachers, whose real earnings declined 5% because of increased inflation.
TSA workers may not get paid—again—when the money runs out if Congress doesn’t find a compromise on the DHS funding bill soon.
JBS Colorado strike won by workers: The three-week strike by 3,800 meatpacking workers in Greeley, Colorado, led to wage increases and better PPE policies.
Free screening of Starbucks barista documentary: The Iowa Federation of Labor and the Iowa Labor History Society will screen “Partners: How Starbucks Baristas Started a Labor Revolution,” at 6 p.m. Friday, May 1, in Iowa City.
Union endorsements: The Iowa State Education Association, which represents more than 50,000 public education workers, endorsed Rob Sand for Iowa governor this month. “Rob Sand has demonstrated a clear understanding of the challenges facing our schools and a genuine commitment to supporting the professionals who work in them every day,” said ISEA president Joshua Brown. // The Iowa State Council of Machinists endorsed Lindsay James for US House in District 2 (Eastern Iowa). “Lindsay has built a strong record of supporting legislation that benefits all working families,” said Machinists president Rick Moyle. “Her commitment to standing up for Iowa workers makes her a clear choice in this election.”
Workers Memorial Day events are being held across the state this week, including in the Quad Cities (pictured below), to memorialize the 32 Iowa workers who died on the job in the past year. More than 380 American workers die of traumatic injuries or occupational diseases each day.

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:
18 workers by today,
27 workers by Friday,
one worker by May 22,
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:
seven workers by Saturday,
62 workers by May 30,
25 workers by June 13, and
10 workers by June 27.
Read more here.
First Student in Waterloo is closing and laying off 120 workers by June 30. Read more here.