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Season 3, Episode 47

Iowa’s anti-worker legislation hits working families hard

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Guest Name:

Jeff Shudak

Guest Website:

www.iowaaflcio.org

Guest Social Media:

Facebook

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Mentions:

AFL-CIO Western Iowa Labor Federation President Jeff Shudak joined the America’s Work Force Union Podcast to discuss the challenges of organizing in Iowa, a So-Called “Right to Work” state, and numerous pieces of anti-labor legislation in the state that make life difficult for working families.

From a political standpoint, the last five years in Iowa have been, “a horror show,” Shudak said.
It was particularly brutal in 2017, when legislation was passed that stripped public sector unions of their collective bargaining rights, essentially nullifying all contracts for public employees, he added. The legislation made it illegal for employees to have their union dues deducted from their paychecks and required public sector unions to recertify every two years through a vote that includes all employees – not just union employees. Project Labor Agreements were also outlawed.

Shudak said the only solution to anti-worker legislation is to fight back politically. Members of the Western Iowa Labor Federation have been knocking on doors and encouraging the support of pro-labor candidates.

Discussion then turned to the numerous strikes taking place in Iowa. Shudak provided updates on the strikes at Kellogg’s and John Deere and said the Western Iowa Labor Federation and the AFL-CIO have helped by joining picket lines and donating food.

Listen to the entire episode to learn more about these topics:


America’s Work Force is the only daily labor podcast in the US and has been on the air since 1993, supplying listeners with useful, relevant input into their daily lives through fact-finding features, in-depth interviews, informative news segments and practical consumer reports. America’s Work Force is committed to providing an accessible venue in which America's workers and their families can hear discussion on important, relevant topics such as employment, healthcare, legislative action, labor-management relations, corporate practices, finances, local and national politics, consumer reports and labor issues.

America’s Work Force Union Podcast is brought to you in part by our sponsors: AFL-CIO, American Federation of Government Employees, American Federation of Musicians Local 4, American Alliance for Manufacturing, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, Columbus/Central Ohio Building and Construction Trades Council, Communication Workers of America, International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers, International Association of Heat and Frost Insulators and Allied Workers Local 50, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, International Union of Bricklayers and Allied Crafts, International Union of Painters and Allied Trades District Council 6, Ironworkers Great Lakes District Council, The Labor Citizen newspaper, Laborers International Union of The National Labor Office of Blue Cross and Blue Shield, North America, North Coast Area Labor Federation, Ohio Federation of Teachers, Survey and Ballot Systems, United Labor Agency, United Steelworkers.

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