This photo taken Jan. 18, 2013 shows part-time home health care provider Debra Walker in her home in Houston. President Barack Obama thinks his health care law makes states an offer they can't refuse. Whether to expand Medicaid _the federal-state program for the poor and disabled_ could be the most important decision facing governors and legislatures this year. The repercussions go beyond their budgets, directly affecting the well-being of residents and the finances of critical hospitals. Awaiting decisions are people like Walker, a part-time home health care provider. She had a good job with health insurance until she got laid off in 2007. (AP Photo/Pat Sullivan)
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This photo taken Jan. 18, 2013 shows part-time home health care provider Debra Walker in her home in Houston. President Barack Obama thinks his health care law makes states an offer they can't refuse. Whether to expand Medicaid _the federal-state program for the poor and disabled_ could be the most important decision facing governors and legislatures this year. The repercussions go beyond their budgets, directly affecting the well-being of residents and the finances of critical hospitals. Awaiting decisions are people like Walker, a part-time home health care provider. She had a good job with health insurance until she got laid off in 2007. (AP Photo/Pat Sullivan)
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FILE This Nov. 6, 2012 file photo shows New Hampshire Gov.-elect Maggie Hassan in Manchester, N.H. When Hassan won the New Hampshire governor's race, it wasn't just a victory for Democrats. Unions spent millions to elect Hassan because she can block a Republican legislature from gutting their organizing and bargaining ability. From California to Maine, unions used their political muscle to defeat ballot initiatives against them and elect labor-friendly governors and lawmakers. (AP Photo/Jim Cole, File)
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FILE - In this June 28, 2012, file photo, Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick speaks, as Health and Human Services Secretary JudyAnn Bigby listens at right, during a news conference at the Statehouse in Boston, where he spoke about the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to uphold President Barack Obama's health care overhaul. Some of President Barack Obama’s former advisers are proposing major changes aimed at controlling health care costs as political uncertainty hovers over his health law. Call it Health Care Overhaul, Version 2.0. Their biggest idea is a first-ever budget for the nation’s $2.8-trillion health care system, through negotiated limits on public and private spending in each state. The approach broadly resembles a Massachusetts law signed this summer by Patrick that puts pressure on hospitals, insurers, and other major players to keep rising costs within manageable limits. It could become the Democratic counterpoint to private market strategies favored by Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney and running mate Paul Ryan. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola, File)
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FILE - This combination of undated file photos shows Republican Governors, from left: Jan Brewer, Ariz.; Jack Dalrymple, N.D.; John Kasich, Ohio; Susana Martinez, N.M., and Brian Sandoval, Nev. While far from voicing a consensus opinion in their party, the governors, along with Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder, are six GOP governors who in the past two months who have joined a growing number of Republican governors now buying into parts of the system as the financial realities of their states’ medical costs begin to counterbalance the fierce election politics of the issue. (AP Photo/File)
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FILE - In this Feb. 6, 2013 file photo Michigan Republican Gov. Rick Snyder announces an expansion of the state's Medicaid health care program in Lansing, Mich. Once largely united in resisting the Obama administration’s new health reform overhaul, Snyder became the sixth GOP governor in the past two months to join a growing number of Republican governors now buying into parts of the system as the financial realities of their states’ medical costs begin to counterbalance the fierce election politics of the issue. (AP Photo/Detroit News, John M. Galloway, File) DETROIT FREE PRESS OUT; HUFFINGTON POST OUT
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ADVANCE FOR TUESDAY, JAN. 29 AND THEREAFTER - This photo taken Jan. 18, 2013 shows part-time home health care provider Debra Walker in her home in Houston. President Barack Obama thinks his health care law makes states an offer they can't refuse. Whether to expand Medicaid _the federal-state program for the poor and disabled_ could be the most important decision facing governors and legislatures this year. The repercussions go beyond their budgets, directly affecting the well-being of residents and the finances of critical hospitals. Awaiting decisions are people like Walker, a part-time home health care provider. She had a good job with health insurance until she got laid off in 2007. (AP Photo/Pat Sullivan)
Iowa public employees contract sent to arbitration
DES MOINES, Iowa (
AP) — The president of Iowa's largest public worker union said Thursday that he is hopeful a neutral arbitrator will grant favorable contract terms to his 20,000 members.
Negotiations between Gov. Terry Branstad and the Iowa Council 61 of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees moved to binding arbitration on Feb. 11, after they failed to reach an agreement through negotiation. Homan said both sides have presented arguments to a neutral arbitrator and the two-year contract is expected March 7.
The union has clashed with Branstad over terms. Branstad has called for union members to start paying a portion of their health care costs, while the union is seeking to maintain current health benefits and get 3 percent raises over the life of the contract.
"I believe we put forth a good argument," Homan said. "Initially, we were concerned with many terms, the biggest of which was the blatant attack on state employee's health care."
Contracts have been settled through arbitration just twice since state workers started collective bargaining in 1977. One arbitration deal was reached in 1991 during Branstad's previous run as governor. Branstad then vetoed a salary bill for the union, and the workers successfully sued.
A spokesman for Branstad declined to comment on ongoing negotiations.
Branstad has touted a recently resolved contract with state police officers that requires them to pay 20 percent of their health care premiums, or slightly less if they enter a wellness program. Most of those 600 workers had already been paying a 15 percent contribution.
Tags:
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