Iowa Legislature: Fair-share bill appears dead

By Charlotte Eby | Wednesday, February 28, 2007

DES MOINES — With a deadline looming next week, the prospects for a controversial “fair-share” proposal backed by organized labor in the Iowa Legislature appear to have dimmed.

Iowa labor unions have pushed the legislature’s new Democratic majority to approve fair-share legislation that would in some instances force employees who choose not to join the union at their workplace to pay union fees for services.

Iowa House Speaker Pat Murphy, D-Dubuque, is not predicting whether House Democrats have the votes to pass the current fair-share proposal.

“We’ll have to wait and evaluate that,” Murphy said. “The big part is we won’t be taking up bills if we don’t have the votes.”

But behind the scenes, Rep. Bob Kressig, D-Cedar Falls, said he’s been told by leadership the fair-share proposal is dead.

“It’s not going anywhere,” Kressig said. “They don’t have support.”

Murphy said if the House does take up a fair-share bill it might not cover the private sector, a marked shift from the initial proposal that included both the private and public sectors.

“We’ll have to wait and see how it proceeds from there,” Murphy said.

Sandra Galer with the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers in Cedar Rapids is not optimistic about fair share’s chances.

“It’s not looking real good right now, but we’ll work until the end,” said Galer, who was at the Statehouse Tuesday lobbying for the fair-share measure.

She is being told by lawmakers they think a fair-share proposal would change parts of Iowa’s right-to-work law. That law, staunchly supported by business leaders, prohibits forced union membership.

Next week marks funnel week in the Iowa Legislature, a deadline when bills must pass a committee to stay alive. Only a decision by legislative leaders could keep a fair-share bill alive for the rest of the session if it fails to make the funnel deadline.

Many House Democrats are declining to talk about their position on fair share or are doing so only when pressed.

Rep. Doris Kelley, D-Waterloo, is against the current fair-share proposal. She said she will not vote on any measure that would repeal Iowa’s right-to-work law, which she thinks the fair-share proposal does.

Kelley said she’s been under pressure from both labor unions and right-to-work backers. A union group is running a radio ad against her.

“Both have been pretty nasty in their tactics,” Kelley said.

Rep. McKinley Bailey, D-Webster City, said he cannot support the current fair-share proposal.

“I think it just goes too far,” Bailey said. He might be open to a compromise but thinks federal labor laws might hamper a sensible solution.

He said his main objection is that a fair-share law could hurt economic development, citing the loss of jobs back home.

Rep. Nathan Reichert, D-Muscatine, said he’s undecided on fair-share until he sees a final proposal.

He admits he’s feeling the heat on the issue and calls fair share “a tough vote.”

“Organized labor wants to have a conversation on this,” Reichert said. “It’s the first time in 42 years they feel that they’ve had an opportunity to have this discussion.”

Rep. Elesha Gayman, D-Davenport, is undecided on the issue of fair share, but she doesn’t like the initial proposal.

“I don’t think the prospects are good, no,” Gayman said of the bill. “There’s just not enough support on either side of the issue.”

But she doesn’t predict the issue will go away.

“The labor unions have a legitimate concern, the business community has a legitimate concern, and we need to find out how we can compromise ... and make it work for everyone,” Gayman said.

The Legislature’s biggest opponent of fair share, House Minority Leader Christopher Rants, R-Sioux City, doesn’t think the bill is dead.

“They must have some secret plan to try to roll this thing out again when the public’s not looking,” Rants said.

He thinks many Democrats, under pressure from unions, are reluctant to talk about the issue because “they know it’s wrong.”

“But they’re getting their arms twisted to the point that they’re about to break and fall off,” Rants said.

Charlotte Eby can be contacted at (515) 243-0138 or chareby@aol.com.