The newsletter for the Iowa worker.

It’s Wednesday, May 29, 2024.

An Iowa highway worker was killed on Interstate 80 near Weston, Iowa, earlier this month.

Matthew Dickerson, 36, of Neola was working to patch holes in the left lane of eastbound I-80 on May 16 when he was hit by a UPS truck driven by Clifford Miller of Pennsylvania.

Dickerson was an employee of the Iowa Department of Transportation.

“Matt’s death is a stark reminder of the risks our employees face,” the Iowa DOT said in a statement. “Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and coworkers.”

Graphic from Iowa DOT.

Dickerson leaves behind a wife and two daughters, per his obituary.

Gov. Kim Reynolds ordered flags at half-staff on May 23, the day of Dickerson’s funeral, in his honor.

“This senseless tragedy never should have happened,” Reynolds said in a statement. “I urge all drivers to be alert when approaching any work area at any time. The workers on our interstates and roadways deserve our full attention and respect.”

Construction workers (not counting roofers) have the fourth-highest fatality rate among all civilian jobs, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Luckily, work-zone fatalities have been decreasing over the years.

With summer’s construction season in full swing, it’s an important reminder to be extra cautious in work zones.

Have you seen any egregious driver behavior on the highways this year? Tell me about your experience.

Amie Rivers

Community Editor, Iowa Starting Line

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This week’s Iowa worker news:

Screenshot of Iowa Starting Line video.

Iowa legislators who voted against a basic income pilot get millions from the government in farm subsidies: If we’re going to be mad at Iowa’s working class getting money from the government, let’s also be mad at Iowa’s ruling class getting even more money.
Pilots wanted: Coe College in Cedar Rapids is partnering with the Eastern Iowa Airport and Revv Aviation to create a brand-new flight school and aviation management program that will be able to accept up to 24 students. The plan is to begin in fall of 2025, but officials say it could begin this fall if there’s enough interest.
Skilled workers celebrated in new mural: Wayne Magee wanted to honor construction workers like those he employs at Magee Construction in Cedar Falls. So he enlisted Iowa artist Gary Kelley to make his vision a reality.
A new rule mandating a minimum number of hours a nursing home resident gets care per day has upset a lobbying organization for Iowa’s nursing homes. The federal rule, which goes into effect next month, says each patient at a nursing home that receives Medicare or Medicaid payments must provide at least 3 1/2 hours of nursing care per resident per day. But the president of the Iowa Health Care Association argues nursing homes don’t have enough staff for that.
Workers are once again the frontline for a new virus: A farmworker at a dairy farm in Michigan has become the second person diagnosed with bird flu, after coming into contact with infected cows. The worker had mild symptoms and has since recovered.
Iowa layoffs coming in June:
Amcor in Des Moines is laying off 41 workers by June 1.
Monroe Care Center in Albia is closing and laying off 35 workers by June 1.
West Liberty Foods in West Liberty is laying off 39 workers by June 3.
Dauntless Delivery in Dubuque is closing and laying off 45 workers by June 11.
Wells Fargo in West Des Moines is laying off seven workers by June 16, and another 40 workers by June 30.
On With Life in Glenwood is laying off 31 workers by June 17.
John Deere Waterloo Works in Waterloo is laying off 192 workers by June 21.
PSSI in Perry is laying off 76 workers by June 28.
Tyson Foods in Perry is closing and laying off 1,276 workers by June 28 (read more about that here).
DTG2Go in Storm Lake is closing and laying off five workers by June 30.
Family Resources Inc. in Davenport is laying off 26 workers by June 30.
Glenwood Resource Center in Glenwood is closing and laying off 235 workers by June 30 (read more about that here).