Culver vetoes collective bargaining bill
Gov. Chet Culver announced in a news conference late this afternoon that he will veto HF 2645, a bill which would have expanded the scope of collective bargaining for educators and other public employees. Here is a statement ISEA President Linda Nelson issued to the news media:
Statement by ISEA President Linda Nelson on Gov. Culver's veto of HF2645
We are deeply disappointed by Gov. Culver's veto of HF 2645. This legislation would have leveled the playing field for educators and other public employees at the bargaining table. It would have allowed us to negotiate over issues that impact student achievement like class size, preparation time, in-service, and a whole host of other topics that under the current law are deemed "permissive" and off-limits for discussion. While we appreciate the Governor's support for funding public schools and for making teacher salaries competitive, he missed a great opportunity to recognize educators as true professionals and full partners in educational decision making. We are committed to working with Gov. Culver Culver to craft a bill which accomplishes that objective.
