In biggest vote since new law, Iowa public unions overwhelmingly choose to recertify

Thousands of Iowa teachers, snowplow drivers and corrections officers voted overwhelmingly to maintain their union affiliations in a round of high-stakes voting that concluded Tuesday.

Results issued Wednesday by the Iowa Public Employment Relations Board showed 436 out of 468 public-sector bargaining units voted to recertify their organizations. Voter participation was 88 percent. 

"It shows that public sector employees, working men and women, both members and non-members, want to have a union, want to have a voice at the table," said Danny Homan, president of AFSCME Iowa Council 61, which represents more than 40,000 public employees in Iowa. "... I believe this sends a very strong message."

Certification votes by public-sector workers grant unions the permission to collectively negotiate contracts and pay on workers' behalf. In the past, unions faced elections only if one of their members petitioned for decertification.

But the state's new collective bargaining laws, which took effect in February, instituted a much steeper hurdle for unions to maintain that authorization.

Now, public-sector unions must recertify every time they face a new contract negotiation — typically every two or three years.

They also need to win approval from a majority of all employees covered under their contracts — not just a majority of people who vote in the election.

Bargaining units that fail to gain approval are dissolved and must wait two years before reunionizing. 

Database: Iowa Public-Sector Union Recertifications

Legislative Republicans who crafted the law say the change was intended to make sure unions are being held accountable to all of their members. But labor leaders and union activists say it's an unfair burden designed to reduce the number of unions across the state and weaken their influence.

"There’s not one Republican in this state that could win an election under the rules they gave us," Homan said. "And we won 41 of 42, because we went out and worked our tails off."

Homan said he plans to appeal the one loss, which included only four eligible voters. Two people voted in favor of the union, one did not vote and one ballot was voided.

The Iowa State Education Association had 220 bargaining units participating in this round of voting. According to a statement from the union, 216 voted to recertify.  

"We are enormously proud of the thousands and thousands of education professionals who overwhelmingly voted in favor of their professions by successfully passing recertification in their locals," ISEA President Tammy Wawro said in a statement. "ISEA members and their colleagues took time out of their busy schedules to let the Legislature know that they believe their voice in their profession, their work environment and in support of their students is important."

In this round of voting, 28,448 people voted to maintain their union affiliations, 624 people voted against it and 137 ballots were voided. 

Of the 33,252 eligible voters, 4,043 people did not vote. Not voting counts the same as a "no" vote.

Although the large majority of bargaining units voted to recertify, 32 will see their units dissolved as a result of these elections.

In comparison, about 50 bargaining units have voted to decertify since January 2009, according to Public Employment Relations Board chairman Mike Cormack. That does not include this most recent round of voting.

There is a 10-day window for bargaining units to file an appeal. The results will be finalized after that 10-day period. 

Previously, 13 bargaining units representing teachers and faculty voted in September to maintain their union affiliations; no unions voted to decertify. About 90 percent of eligible voters participated in that election.