ISPA OPPOSES HF291
After digesting the 68 pages of HSB84 (now HF291) and much discussion the Iowa State Police Association is opposing this bill for many reasons.
Every December the ISPA Executive Board meets in Des Moines with the other Iowa Public Safety groups to discuss important issues in the upcoming legislative session. One of the resolutions to come from this year’s meeting was all groups were opposed to changes to Iowa Code Chapter 20 (Collective Bargaining). The groups felt the current collective bargaining laws were doing their job and were fair to both sides.
Also while it appears public safety was spared from the changes to collective bargaining in HF291 that is not the case. Many police officers, sheriff deputies, and fire fighters could lose most of their bargaining rights under this bill because they belong to a bargaining group that they are not the majority.
We also recognize public safety is not just about police and fire it includes: dispatchers, correction workers, probation officers and so on. To leave out teachers, public safety support workers, DHS employees, sanitation and street employees, mental health professionals, nurses and all the other public employees is an injustice. These jobs and the people working them all play a role in Iowa’s public safety and helping make Iowa a better place.
Please join us in this fight by contacting your legislator and let them know you are opposed to this bill. The debate is scheduled for Monday February 13, 2017 at 6:00 p.m. so there is no time to waste in making your call.
