Danny Homan, the President of AFSCME Iowa Council 61, told OCSEA convention delegates last month that one needed to look no farther than the size of their contract to see the effects of the gutting of collective bargaining on state employees. This year, AFSCME members in that state had their collective bargaining rights decimated by anti-union, conservative politicians, including the governor and legislature.
At one poignant moment during the OCSEA Convention, special guest speaker, Homan, held up his union's state contract...and the delegation gasped in unison shock. His members' state contract, "bargained" earlier this year, was literally stripped from a nearly 260-page contract of substance to a 26-page "spineless shell," said Homan.
"No thanks to anti-union, GOP politicians," Homan detailed, his union lost their ability to bargain for vacation, sick leave, health care, layoffs, seniority and almost every other contract provision. They also lost payroll dues deduction, an automatic hit to their union’s ability to fully represent members, he said tearfully, yet angrily. Now, just this week, thousands of Iowa state employees will lose overtime pay as a result of these actions.
Homan’s new contract after the gutting of collective bargaining only allows for them to bargain three things: wages up to the Consumer Price Index; classifications; and paycheck distribution.
Homan said his mission in visiting with and speaking before the Ohio delegation was not to garner pity BUT warn about the fight that could soon be coming Ohio's way ... especially as national attacks against public employee unions intensify.
And his warnings did not go unnoticed by OCSEA leaders. Not only did the subordinate body leaders stand up on the floor and pledge nearly $40,000 to help AFSCME Iowa get back on their feet and fight the attacks, they also made a solemn vow of solidarity to Homan and his Iowa AFSCME members.
"Not only do we stand strong with our Iowa sisters and brothers, we pledge to make sure that this never, ever happens again. We vow to spread the word to our membership about the importance of a union contract, a substantial contract WITH A SPINE that gives our members a real voice in the workplace," said Athens-Vinton Chapter 550 leader Dawn Hunley. "And we vow to fight hard to make sure our members stand up and fight for their contract right alongside us," she said.
Hunley and the other delegates attending convention passed a motion on the floor to post the emaciated Iowa contract on the OCSEA website. Delegates, visually shaken by the attacks, said this would be the perfect reminder to the OCSEA membership of what can happen if we let anti-union politicians here in Ohio take control of our rights to collective bargaining.
RESOURCES:
New Iowa AFSCME Contract - DECIMATED! - 26 pages
Old Iowa AFSCME Contract (BEFORE collective bargaining attacks) - 257 pages
FLIER - Download and distribute this "Iowa Contract Decimated" flier to your membership.