Many Iowans have experienced filing for unemployment for the first time this year. As a result, many Iowans now realize just how important this lifeline can be for working people and their families. Right now, the current Republican legislature is moving a bill forward that would cut back on unemployment benefits, during a global pandemic.
This proposal would institute a one week waiting period – for no good reason – for anyone who applies for unemployment. No one I know who has ever been laid off through no fault of their own, especially now, wants to lose their job, let alone go on unemployment, which does not cover all of their lost wages. Making that family wait a week for no good reason, just means that the rich are going to continue to stuff their pockets during this pandemic while that family suffers.
In addition, this legislation would disproportionately hurt rural Iowa. It cuts the number of weeks available in the case of a business closing by 13 weeks. I grew up in rural Iowa, and I understand what it means when an industry or plant that sustains that town goes under. People receiving those benefits are not getting rich – they are using those dollars to keep main street alive until the town can get back on its feet. Opposing these cuts is the right thing to do for workers in this state, for rural Iowa, and this legislature and Governor need to stop these plans from moving forward and get back to the work that Iowans sent them there to do.
Charlie Wishman
President, Iowa Federation of Labor AFL-CIO
One of the most damaging and destructive ideas in modern political life is that elected officials have been allowed to get away with making voters believe they answer to the official. Constitutionally it is exactly the opposite.
The CBO estimates the executive actions have already wiped out close to 4.1 million jobs. The “America First” agenda blasted onto the scene creating jobs, the states with the most open schools are doing just fine, and Operation Warp Speed brought about two vaccines in less than a year. An “America First” agenda is a problem solving agenda from the beginning. It believes in the work ethic of the American people and it unleashed American exceptionalism. Embracing this helps everyone..
Typical union response. This is a free country. That means it should be free to join a union or not. Remember what they say about unions: Rule 1-Unions are always unhappy and love to complain. Rule 2-When unions are happy and content, remember Rule 1.
“When a great democracy is destroyed, it will not be from enemies from without, but rather because of enemies from within.”
The truly sad thing is that everyone, including all of the intelligent people who voted for Trump, are made to suffer, and not just the idiots who voted for Biden.
The CBO estimates the executive actions have already wiped out close to 4.1 million jobs. The “America First” agenda blasted onto the scene creating jobs, the states with the most open schools are doing just fine, and Operation Warp Speed brought about two vaccines in less than a year. An “America First” agenda is a problem solving agenda from the beginning. It believes in the work ethic of the American people and it unleashed American exceptionalism. Embracing this helps everyone.
America First, no apologies!
Seems like these Biden voters are rolling in their graves.
Cumo and faucci are experts on the covid – you fill in the rest. One is maybe going to jail and the other gets a raise – But which one?
Well when the biddens Chinese partners finally take over -that’s the end of your so called UNIONS comrades.
What’s all this happy horeshit called diversity = anti white (now there’s racism if you ever seen it ) and anti American BS – go fk yourselves democraps=globalists. This veteran says like it or leave it douchbags.
Unions again. Rule 1: Unions are never happy and love to complain. Rule 2: Whenever unions are happy and everything is going well, remember rule 1.
Well you know what they say about opinions.
The GOP (got others plans) is not pro-working class. The are pro-ALEC which is certainly not pro-working class
You would rather have them like the DNC then, pro labor? Open the borders and let everyone in. Forget your $15 minimum wage at that point, there will be 50 people for every single job.
Be Pro labor and keep taxing the hell out of all businesses, lets see how many more we can get to shut down or move out of the country(that would be pro labor as the Democrats that you seem to worship keep doing). Or should we be pro labor by keep adding more regulations to the point that companies can’t operate, just like your precious Democrats do, because their for the “working man”.
HMM, the GOP wants only LEGAL immigration, lower taxes to incentivize people to open businesses,unlike Democrats who want to close them, and generally keep the government OUT of peoples/businesses lives.
I think I’ll stick with the conservatives, thank you.
You do that because you certainly can spin things like the Republicans always do. If it weren’t for labor, you would still be making $3.25 an hour or paying it. Then the taxes we pay can go to welfare assistance for those who work 40 hours a week and still can’t get ahead because the pro-business right wants to pay for the two houses they own, the 4 cars and a humongous boat while the workers work 2 jobs to pay the rent.
First, this is for you. Definition of labor is: physical or mental work, especially of a hard or fatiguing kind; toil. a job or task done or to be done. the physical effort and periodic uterine contractions of childbirth. the interval from the onset of these contractions to childbirth.
Now according to YOU if it were not for labor (see above), I, “would still be making $3.25 an hour or paying it.”
Sorry, I negotiated my own wages growing up working for farmers during the summers, I made more than that. That was in the early,mid 80’s.
What I will say is, unions did have their time/place, but they are not needed, and frankly not wanted by most anymore.
When unions started, they WERE actually about protecting the workers (safety and fair wages), but that has gone to the ridiculous side of things. Now with all the government regulations(OSHA) the safety aspect is taken care of. The wages can be negotiated before hiring(individual contract).
Just an after thought::: Any of you remember when there was the big unionizing push through Mason, 90-91? Remember all the layoffs to meet the demands? Remember the businesses that closed because they couldn’t meet the demands?
Honey, the most you made working for farmers in the 80’s was detassling corn, when on holidays you made about $8 an hour. I should know, I did it myself. You might have made more at big hog farms but not the little farmers you didn’t.
To Anonymous February 20, 2021 at 3:38 pm
I made that walking beans, I was still in school. made more when we worked with the animals (cows and pigs). Sometimes we detasseled, or baled hay, picked rock(that sucked),walked beans, or cleaned groves.
Yes, I did make around $8. Most of the factories in Mason City at the time were paying about the same to a little less.