One of the largest labor unions in Iowa hosted four of the Democratic presidential candidates today. Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar was first to speak Saturday at the Iowa State Education Association event. "To have strong public schools, you must have a strong ISEA," Klobuchar said, to … [Read more...]
Teamsters host candidate forum in Cedar Rapids
A member of the Iowa Federation of Labor's board of directors says union workers are "tuned in" to politics like never before. "People are fed up. We know that when fear turns to anger, people start to organize," says Jesse Case, secretary-treasurer of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters … [Read more...]
UPS ramping up hiring for the holidays
Many Iowa employers are hiring seasonal workers who will help out through the busy Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. Jon Bowers, director of learning technology at United Parcel Service, says very few other employers in the state will be ramping up staffing quite like UPS. "We're planning to … [Read more...]
Delaware County chosen for workforce pilot program
Northeast Iowa's Delaware County is the pick for a pilot project to boost the rural workforce through an initiative from the Iowa Workforce Innovation Network team, known as i-WIN. Working with the Iowa State University Center for Industrial Research and Services, or CIRAS, officials met in … [Read more...]
Cedar Rapids General Mills workers approve contract
A strike has been averted at the General Mills plant in Cedar Rapids. The union representing some 520 workers at the General Mills plant says they ratified a new contract on Thursday after three sessions of voting. Benefits of the new deal include the preservation of the current three-shift … [Read more...]
Governor says Iowa outpacing states like Georgia in apprenticeships
Governor Kim Reynolds today said there are nearly 750 registered apprenticeship programs in Iowa where more than 7600 people are learning new skills that will lead to a full-time job. "We are outpacing states like Georgia and Arizona that have three times the population," she said during a news … [Read more...]
Unemployment rate holds steady in September
The state unemployment rate is back in a holding pattern again -- staying at 2.5% in September. Iowa Workforce Development Deputy Director, Ryan West, says it's the third month at that rate after 12 straight months where it held at 2.4%. "All in all, we've had a really phenomenal last kind of 18 … [Read more...]
Iowa DOT starting to prepare for winter operations
The Iowa Department of Transportation is making the transition into its winter operation phase. Winter operations director, Craig Bargfrede, says they will gradually refit equipment from construction maintenance work to be ready for winter. "The garages have to balance having the ability to go … [Read more...]
Hotel and motel workers using new devices for protection
As many as 15,000 Iowans who work in some 350 hotels and motels statewide are being issued employee safety devices, or ESDs, as part of a program designed to help keep them safe while on the job. Chip Rogers, president and CEO of the American Hotel and Lodging Association, says his organization … [Read more...]
Future Ready Iowa summits continue effort to build state’s workforce
Around 20 Iowa communities are hosting local employers and state leaders this fall for what are known as Future Ready Iowa summits. Iowa Workforce Development director Beth Townsend says it's an ideal opportunity to discuss Governor Kim Reynolds’ goal of continuing to build a skilled workforce in … [Read more...]