Interjecting a note of reality about public servants in Iowa.

[Skidmore]

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/article/20110303/OPINION01/103030324/Guest-column-A-contrived-crisis-with-the-budget-is-unfair-to-Iowans

Guest column: A contrived crisis with the budget is unfair to Iowans
7:39 PM, Mar. 2, 2011 |

Written by
DEAN LERNER is former director of the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals. Contact: dean.a.lerner@ gmail.com.

There is no looming state budget crisis in Iowa. Yet Republicans need to pretend there is - to make changes that wealthy business pressure groups have sought for years. These include weakening organized labor, re-establishing Iowa as a low-wage state, and creating a high-corporate-profit/low-corporate-tax environment. In addition, they need such a crisis to support condemnation of public servants and diminish critical state agencies.

To remedy their contrived crisis, Governor Terry Branstad and his Republican leaders are "forced" to lay off state workers responsible for administering essential programs, such as nursing home inspections and social services. As an extra measure of protection, they explain we must re-open and weaken existing collective bargaining agreements entered into by prior Republican leadership.

How does Gov. Branstad's promise to increase household income by 25 percent fit with these measures? His plan apparently doesn't apply to public servants.

Let's examine some of the facts: the new AFSCME contract just barely covers the voluntary reductions its state workers took last year. Public servants do not make more than their private sector counterparts, and state worker pay increases over the past 12 years average less than the nearly 3 percent rate of inflation. These are but a few of the realities neglected to be mentioned in the Republican dialogue, along with the conveniently forgotten reality that public servants did not cause the Great Recession. Greed-driven Wall Street did....

On the other hand, Branstad tries to have it both ways.

http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9LN7GLO0.htm
PNewsBreak: Gov. OK with most union bargaining

By MIKE GLOVER


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DES MOINES, Iowa

Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad said Wednesday he'll bargain hard with unions representing state workers but has no plans to seek an end to their collective bargaining rights

Branstad told The Associated Press in a telephone interview that he'll push state worker unions to make big changes to a contract that was bargained with his predecessor, Democratic Gov. Chet Culver. Branstad wants reductions in pay and benefits.

Branstad said he also supports removing insurance from the list of items the state is required to negotiate with workers, but he intends to keep a collective bargaining agreement with unions representing state workers. Other benefits like pensions, vacations and medical leave will remain on the table, the governor said.

"The situation is different at all levels," Branstad said. "Wisconsin has got a much worse situation."