AFSCME is fighting back in Iowa against the latest attempt to silence the voices of working people and take away their ability to negotiate together for better wages and working conditions.
Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad last week signed a bill into law that forbids public service workers from negotiating for improvements to their benefits and working conditions. It effectively steals workers’ rights that were established more than 40 years ago.
AFSCME Iowa Council 61 represents 40,000 public service workers, including law enforcement, corrections officers, mental health workers, professional school staff and others. Many of them will be affected by the new law.
Council 61 filed a lawsuit Monday, alleging that the new law violates Article 1, Section 6 of the Iowa Constitution, which forbids lawmakers from granting any citizen “privileges or immunities, which, upon the same terms shall not equally belong to all citizens.” The law exempts police officers and firefighters.
“We are basically suing over the unconstitutionality of the law,” said Iowa Council 61 Pres. Danny Homan. “We believe the law treats public employees differently.”
In a statement, AFSCME Pres. Lee Saunders called the new law “a slap in the face to the hardworking women and men who provide professional public services that strengthen Iowa communities every day.”
Saunders added, “We won’t give up this fight. AFSCME will continue to stand with Iowa working families and communities.”