Workers at the Starbucks in downtown Iowa City have begun the formal process that will allow them to unionize. Unionization drives at the coffee chain have swept through locations around the country during the last two years, but the workers at the Starbucks at the corner of Burlington and Clinton Streets are the first in […]
Collective Bargaining
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House, Senate send collective bargaining bill to Gov. Branstad’s desk
Both the Iowa House and Senate passed an overhaul of Iowa’s collective bargaining measures on Thursday, sending the controversial bill on to Gov. Terry Branstad to be signed into law. The votes followed measures in both chambers to set a deadline on debate — the House cut off debate at noon and the Senate, after […]
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In packed statehouse, protesters oppose proposed changes to collective bargaining
With protesters filling the rotunda of the Iowa Capitol Monday night, speakers at a packed public hearing for collective bargaining legislation overwhelmingly voiced their opposition to proposals that would strip away public employees’ collective bargaining rights.
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UI grad students camp outside president’s office to protest collective bargaining changes
“I have snacks!” announced Ruth Bryant as she and about eight other University of Iowa graduate students made themselves comfortable on the floor outside of University President Bruce Harreld’s office Monday morning. She and the group planned to stay there all day as part of “Wake up, Walk Out!,” the latest grass-roots effort to stand […]
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GOP-led collective bargaining bills ‘worse than expected,’ critics say
A Republican-led push to end collective bargaining on everything but wages came to fruition Tuesday in the form of two companion bills in the Iowa Senate and House. Critics are calling the proposals, which have been dreaded by public worker unions for weeks, far worse than they expected. “It’s basically a way to kill unions,” […]
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COGS, public workers reach out to community in benefits battle
The University of Iowa graduate student union is asking the public to speak out at Tuesday night’s Iowa City Council meeting, sending out the message that “our cause is everyone’s cause.” “All workers are in it together, and all workers need to lift each other up,” said Landon Elkind, president of the Campaign to Organize […]
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Graduate student union joins collective bargaining fight with Des Moines rally tomorrow
Some University of Iowa graduate students are joining union leaders for a rally at the State Capitol tomorrow as part of a multi-pronged effort to stand up for preserving their current health care benefits, as well as scholarships for tuition and fees. The Campaign to Organize Graduate Students (COGS) is organizing a rally that departs […]
