The latest attempt at
misinformation by the unions and the Democrats is putting forth the
argument that somehow employers are FORCING unions to include in
their contract that they MUST represent the entire bargaining unit.
This is simply false. Employers do not have the ability to force
unions to put anything in their contracts that unions haven't
already agreed.
Don’t be fooled: forcing
employees to pay fees to a union for benefits they did not ask for
is a repeal of Iowa’s Right to Work Law.
DEMOCRATS ALREADY IGNORING THEIR OWN PLAN FOR PROSPERITY ON THE
MINIMUM WAGE
Plan for Prosperity? During
the fall elections, Iowa House Democrats released their “Plan for
Prosperity” stating their intention to “Raise the minimum wage in
Iowa from $5.15 an hour to $7.25 an hour by 2009.”
It is interesting that the
House Democrats are ramping up their minimum wage increase in less
than one year – not the two years they promised Iowa’s businesses.
A $2.10 per hour increase in the minimum wage over only 11 months
will certainly be a shock to employers.
Federal Minimum Wage
On Wednesday, January 10,
the U.S. House approved a federal minimum wage increase, The Fair
Minimum Wage Act of 2007 (H.R.
2).
H.R. 2 increases the federal minimum wage in three increments:
-Increases to $5.85 an hour
60 days after the date of enactment of the bill.
-Increases to $6.55 an hour
one year after the first increase.
-Increases to $7.25 an hour
two years after the first increase.
Iowa House Action on
Minimum Wage
House File 1, which was approved by the House on January 23 by a
79-19 vote, increases the minimum wage from $5.15 an hour to $6.20
on April 1 this year. On January 1, 2008, the state hourly minimum
wage jumps another $1.05 to $7.25.
When the Iowa minimum wage
spikes to $7.25 next January, it will be one of the highest state
minimum wage rates in the U.S. and easily the highest in Iowa’s
region.
During floor debate, House
Republicans were committed to keeping Iowa business-friendly as well
as increasing the minimum wage in a responsible manner. House
Republicans sponsored and supported two key amendments:
House Amendment
H-1002 - Small Business Health Insurance Pooling:
This amendment was based on
an agreement reached last week between the Association of Business
and Industry and the Federation of Iowa Insurers. Amendment
H-1002 would have allowed legitimate business groups to offer a
small group health insurance plans to their small business members.
Under current law, each small business is required to purchase on
their own health insurance plan.
House Amendment
H-1004 - Minimum Wage Increase by 2009:
This amendment would have
increased the minimum wage in three increments:
- On April 1,
2007 the minimum wage would have increased from $5.15 an hour to
$5.85
- On April 1,
2008, the minimum wage would have increased to $6.55
- On April 1,
2009, the minimum wage would have increased to $7.25
Failure to pass any of these amendments is why I voted against
HF 1.
Ways & Means
Update
Bills introduced in committee this week:
HF 39 A bill for an act allocating franchise tax revenues
to local jurisdictions.
HF 40 A bill for an act providing an individual income tax credit for
certain teacher expenses and including a retroactive applicability
date provision.
HF 41 A bill for an act relating to the deduction of the capital gain
from the sale of capital investments made in or by certain
businesses and including an applicability date provision.
HF 42 A bill for an act exempting the services furnished for the
production of master audio, video, film, or digital recordings or
similar media from the sales and use taxes.
HJR 1 A joint resolution proposing an amendment to the
Constitution of the State of Iowa to require approval by vote
of the people before certain tax or fee increases take effect.
Bills passed out of committee this week:
No bills passed committee
Week
in Review Archives