Workers for Opportunity Applauds Iowa Legislature for Passing Historic Worker Freedom Reforms
DES MOINES, IA — Workers for Opportunity, a national organization focused on advancing workplace freedom for employees across the country, applauds the Iowa legislature for passing SF 472. The legislation implements worker-friendly reforms for public sector employees regarding retention and recertification elections for collective bargaining units.
This legislation closes a critical gap in Iowa's public sector collective bargaining law by requiring public employers to submit a complete employee list to the Employment Appeal Board (EAB) within ten days of receiving notice of a recertification election. Employers who fail to comply are identified on a public EAB list, and any Iowa resident may petition a court to compel compliance. The result is that workers get the opportunity for their voice to be heard through recertification elections.
“Public sector employees in Iowa should have regular and transparent elections when it comes to deciding if and who represents them in the workplace. This legislation ensures that election process is followed,” said bill sponsor, State Senator Adrian Dickey.
“Allowing public employees to vote on the union that represents them will make these unions more responsive to their members,” said David Guenthner, Executive Director of Workers for Opportunity. “Iowa had previously enacted a union recertification policy for public sector employees. However, certain public sector employers in Iowa exploited loopholes to avoid accountability. SF 472 ensures that eligible public sector employees in the Hawkeye State are regularly able to vote for their union representation. We encourage Gov. Kim Reynolds to sign this legislation.”
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Workers for Opportunity is a project of the Mackinac Center for Public Policy. WFO’s goal is to advance the liberty of employees across the country and protect their First Amendment rights by ensuring they have a full and informed choice in union membership.
