The coming year is looking dismal for Iowa’s largest public employees’ union as the state government did not propose wage increases and held back health insurance provisions in its contract with unionized employees, an
Associated Press report said.
The contract was released last week by the Iowa Department of Administrative Services to the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees Iowa Council 61.
The contract reportedly contains language that would give the state tighter control over determining employee health benefits.
In the report, Danny Homan, Iowa Council 61 president, said the state is “shortchanging” public employees as it anticipates new legislation that could change its collective bargaining laws. Republicans will have control of the Upper and Lower Houses in January.
Meanwhile, Republican Governor Terry Branstad said in the report through his spokesperson Ben Hammes that the government wants to provide health care that is more “financially sustainable”.
The union Iowa Council 61 represents around 40,000 state employees, including correctional officers, firefighters and mental health workers.
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