Posted on 03/07/2011 2:35:05 PM PST by Free Vulcan
Iowa’s capitol likely will be jammed with people later today as both sides interested in the debate over Iowa’s labor laws gather for a public hearing. Capitol police have been making plans and sound systems are being set up in other parts of the building so those who can’t cram into the House chamber can listen to tonight’s testimony.
House Democratic Leader Kevin McCarthy of Des Moines has a prediction. ”Iowa will experience a little bit of Wisconsin,” McCarthy says.
For the past two weeks there have been massive protests in Wisconsin after that state’s governor proposed major changes in Wisconsin labor laws and there will be a larger contingent of state troopers stationed at Iowa’s statehouse this evening. Republicans in the Iowa House have proposed legislation that would no longer allow public employee unions to negotiate over employees’ health care benefits. House Speaker Kraig Paulsen, a Republican from Hiawatha, says it’s a reasonable step.
“I think it’s 84 percent of state employees pay nothing for their health care and that’s just not reflective of the real world,” Paulsen says.
Unions staged a huge rally on the statehouse steps back on February 22 to protest changes in Iowa’s labor laws. Ken Sager, president of the Iowa Federation of Labor — which represents private-sector unions, called the Republican bill an “attack” on the middle class.
“We will not stand idly by while injustice is perpetrated on fellow Iowans,” Sager said on February 22.
The unions plan another rally, tonight at five o’clock, inside the statehouse.
Representatives from various business groups will speak out at tonight’s public hearing in favor of the changes in Iowa labor law. John Gilliland of the Iowa Association of Business and Industry says private sector employees have taken pay cuts and seen their health care costs skyrocket, while state employees are getting a pay raise. “Is it right when we’re in the midst of a national recession that government employees are not paying a dime for their health insurance?” Gilliland asks.
The labor bill that is drawing such intense scrutiny will be debated in the Iowa House on Tuesday or Wednesday.
Freeloading union thugs at it again.
Appreciate if you could give us all an after debate report.
Tell them the ATM is closed.
I’ll try to post things as I see/hear of them.
Amerika’s nomenklatura
http://www.investors.com/NewsAndAnalysis/Article.aspx?id=528809
it’s becoming increasingly clear that America is now run by a new, privileged class of bureaucrats.
For those who remember the old Soviet Union, it was a grim place — at least for average citizens. But not so for those in government. Contrary to the official ideals of equality and a classless society that the ruling communist regime espoused, the USSR created a privileged class of party members inside government — the nomenklatura.
This semipermanent bureaucracy earned higher incomes, got better health care, ate better food and had greater job security than average Russians, the much-despised proletarians. Today, our bloated federal government seems, in significant ways, to be creating this same dynamic.
Don’t these friggin people work?
Union shills protesting in many states. They’re still protesting in Wis. These people are PATHETIC! GET TO WORK DAMNIT!
The teachers union called my bride to come protest today. Due to the rules of the forum, I can not post what she said but it was priceless!
The real kicker is she works in Illinois, and told the union rep “They need to do the same thing in Illinois! THERE IS NO MONEY!”
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