March 26, 2008

Governor Considering VETO of Union Bargaining Bill:  Needs Encouragement

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Governor Considering VETO of Union Bargaining Bill:  Needs Encouragement

HF 2645 has been approved by both the Iowa House and Senate and is headed to Governor Chet Culver’s desk.  ABI members are urged to contact the Governor immediately to encourage him to VETO HF 2645 because of its devastating impact on Iowa taxpayers.

On Tuesday, Governor Culver issued the following statement in part:  “I want to be clear that there is a strong possibility I will veto this bill if a real effort to listen to the concerns of Iowans, local elected officials, and government stakeholders at all levels does not take place.”

HF 2645 allows "open-scope" collective bargaining for government unions, placing taxpayers at risk of property tax increases.   It would make Iowa one of only a few states that would permit “open scope” bargaining along with binding arbitration – a combination that leaves taxpayers and local elected officials with little input and no recourse.

The bill strikes current code which limits negotiations to “matters mutually agreed upon.”  It also gives government unions the power to negotiate determination of the health insurance carrier, class size, discipline and discharge, grounds for discharge and imposition of other discipline, levels and types of disciplinary measures, and procedures for resolving disputes, work uniforms and equipment, including allowances for uniforms and equipment, staffing levels and retirement systems and “other terms and conditions of employment.” 

School boards, cities, counties, public hospitals, state schools and universities will lose great authority in the bargaining process.  Unfortunately, those entities must use the taxpayers’ money to bargain and will lose the ability to take issues off the table under HF 2645.  Whenever there are disagreements on how taxpayers’ monies are spent, the unions can still take their wish list to an unelected binding arbitrator. The city of Des Moines estimates at least 7% increase in property taxes should this bill be signed into law by Governor Chet Culver.

PLEASE CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION, TALKING POINTS, THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE TELEPHONE NUMBER, AS WELL AS A PRE-DRAFTED LETTER AND E-MAIL.

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