APP. NEW AT FIVE IOWA LABOR UNIONS ARE PUSHING BACK AGAINST THE LATEST RECOMMENDATIONS THIS WEEK FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF GOVERNMENT EFFICIENCY, ALSO KNOWN AS IOWA DODGE. KCCI NICOLE TAM EXPLAINS THE CONTROVERSY BEHIND AN IDEA REGARDING GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE BENEFITS. CURRENTLY, THE STATE IS CONTRIBUTING NEARLY 70% TO AN EMPLOYEE’S RETIREMENT PLAN WHERE THE EMPLOYEE IS CONTRIBUTING ONLY 30% IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR. THESE PERCENTAGES WOULD ALMOST BE THE OPPOSITE OF THAT. THAT’S DODGE TASK FORCE MEMBER TERRY LUTZ. HE’S SUGGESTING A STUDY TO LOOK AT COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS TO ALIGN STATE EMPLOYEES WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR. UNIONS REPRESENTING STATE EMPLOYEES SAY THAT’S PROBLEMATIC. THEY CLAIM THAT THEY WANT TO BE MORE SIMILAR TO WHAT THE PRIVATE SECTOR IS. YOU KNOW, THE PRIVATE SECTOR, THE PAY IS A LOT HIGHER THAN A COMPARABLE, COMPARABLE JOB TO THE PUBLIC SECTOR. BUT THAT PUBLIC SECTOR IS THE BENEFIT IS AT THE END OF THEIR CAREER. WITHOUT THIS BENEFIT, IT’S GOING TO BE EVEN HARDER TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN QUALITY EMPLOYEES BECAUSE WE WOULD BE TAKING AWAY ONE OF THE BENEFITS OF BEING A PUBLIC WORKER, WHICH IS TO HAVE A SECURE RETIREMENT BENEFIT. UNIONS CAME TOGETHER TO LAUNCH THE HANDS OFF IPERS EFFORTS, ASKING MEMBERS AND IOWANS TO CONTACT LAWMAKERS AND SHARE THEIR OPPOSITION. LUTZ SAYS THE CHANGES COULD POTENTIALLY ONLY IMPACT NEW EMPLOYEES AND NOT EXISTING ONES. IOWA DODGE WILL BE MEETING ONCE AGAIN O
Labor unions push back against latest Iowa DOGE recommendations
Iowa DOGE will meet again on Sept. 24 to vote on final recommendations.
Iowa labor unions are pushing back against the latest recommendations from the Department of Government Efficiency, also known as Iowa DOGE. The controversy centers on an idea regarding government employee benefits. Currently, the state is contributing nearly 70% to an employee’s retirement plan, where the employee is contributing 30%. In the private sector, these percentages would almost be opposite of that,” Terry Lutz, Iowa DOGE task force member, said.Lutz is suggesting a study to examine compensation and benefits, aiming to align state employees with those in the private sector. Unions representing state employees say that’s problematic. He says the changes could potentially only impact new employees and not existing ones. “They claim they want to be more similar to the private sector. The private sector, the pay is a lot higher than a comparable job in the public sector. But the benefit is at the end of their career,” Todd Copley, AFSCME Council 61 president, said. “Without this benefit, it’s going to be even harder to attract and retain quality employees because we would be taking away one of the benefits of being a public worker, which is to have a secure retirement benefit,” Joshua Brown, Iowa State Education Association president, said.Unions came together to launch the “Hands off IPERS” efforts, asking members and Iowans to contact lawmakers and share their opposition. Iowa DOGE will meet again on Sept. 24 to vote on final recommendations.» Subscribe to KCCI’s YouTube page» Download the free KCCI app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play
Iowa labor unions are pushing back against the latest recommendations from the Department of Government Efficiency, also known as Iowa DOGE. The controversy centers on an idea regarding government employee benefits.
Currently, the state is contributing nearly 70% to an employee’s retirement plan, where the employee is contributing 30%. In the private sector, these percentages would almost be opposite of that,” Terry Lutz, Iowa DOGE task force member, said.
Lutz is suggesting a study to examine compensation and benefits, aiming to align state employees with those in the private sector. Unions representing state employees say that’s problematic. He says the changes could potentially only impact new employees and not existing ones.
“They claim they want to be more similar to the private sector. The private sector, the pay is a lot higher than a comparable job in the public sector. But the benefit is at the end of their career,” Todd Copley, AFSCME Council 61 president, said.
“Without this benefit, it’s going to be even harder to attract and retain quality employees because we would be taking away one of the benefits of being a public worker, which is to have a secure retirement benefit,” Joshua Brown, Iowa State Education Association president, said.
Unions came together to launch the “Hands off IPERS” efforts, asking members and Iowans to contact lawmakers and share their opposition.
Iowa DOGE will meet again on Sept. 24 to vote on final recommendations.
» Subscribe to KCCI’s YouTube page
» Download the free KCCI app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play