Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad, union leaders still at odds over benefits

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.omaha.com/article/20130121/NEWS/701219943/1707#terry-branstad-union-leaders-still-at-odds-over-benefits

DES MOINES (AP) — Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad has released his budget proposal, but one key part of the plan remains a question mark.

That's compensation for the roughly 20,000 state workers in Iowa represented by labor unions. And the acrimonious tone between Branstad and the largest union's president suggests the current contract talks will not be easily resolved, even though the state has extra money in the bank.

Like many other Republican governors, Branstad wants to win concessions from public sector workers, such as requiring them to pay a portion of their health care costs. Branstad insists that employees need to pay their share, but Danny Homan, president of Iowa Council 61 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, called that an attempt to weaken the union.

“This governor campaigned for the office of governor by telling people he was going to make state employees pay 20 percent of their health insurance premium and, by God, it doesn't matter if it's right, wrong or indifferent, that's what he's going to do,” Homan said. “This is nothing more than a political issue.”

FULL story at link.

[rurallib]

1. Branstad so badly wants to be one of the ALEC heroes

being a founder of ALEC and all. And now he's not even up to the status of a Scott Walker. O the pity.