DES MOINES – Well over 100 union members, representing dozens of unions, lobbied their representatives Tuesday at the Iowa Federation of Labor Legislative Conference in Altoona on issues such as Wage Theft, Minimum Wage, Funding for Apprenticeship Programs and raising Iowa’s gas tax.
“Each year thousands of Iowa’s are cheated out of wages they are owed,” a union official said. “This usually happens when an employer fails to pay workers for some or all hours worked; underpay the workers; pay tipped workers less than minimum wage; make illegal deductions or misclassify employees.”
The unions are in support of raising Iowa’s minimum wage, which is currently at $7.25 an hour. Support for bills that raise the minimum wage was asked of the legislators. Two bills currently under consideration, HF 2011 and SF 2039, both increase the minimum wage. Over 200,000 Iowans would be directly affected by a raise in the minimum wage.
Expanding funding for apprenticeship programs, by supporting bills HSB541 and SSB3052 would help Iowa meet the need for more skilled workers, the union spokesman said.
The last issue lobbied on Tuesday dealt with raising the Gas Tax. This tax was last raised over 20 years ago. Legislators were asked to support HSB514 that would incrementally raise the tax, which would help rebuild Iowa’s infrastructure.
Besides lobbying, they were addressed by Mark Smith, House Minority Leader; Mike Gronstal, Senate Majority Leader; Charlie Wishman, Secretary/Treasurer Iowa Federation of Labor; Jim Piazza, Policy Director Heavy Highway Contractors; Marcia Nicols, AFSCME Political Legislative Director; Brad Hudson, Iowa State Education Association; Matt Sinovic, Executive Director Progress Iowa; Bill Gerhard, President of the Iowa State Building and Construction Trades; Jim Bourne, and IBEW International Representative.
