What's At Stake in Iowa

The clock is ticking. With just weeks until Election Day, CWA activists in Iowa are rallying around pro-worker candidates - before it's too late.

"This election is a tipping point," said Steve Abbot, president of CWA Local 7108.

In the race to replace retiring Democratic Sen. Tom Harkin, Democratic U.S. Rep. Bruce Braley is squaring off against Republican Joni Ernst, a state senator. Braley vows to keep promises to our seniors, while Ernst wants to privatize Social Security and turn Medicare into a voucher program. Braley supports raising the minimum wage, while Ernst actually voted against a minimum wage hike for Iowans and wants to repeal the federal minimum wage. Braley is a big advocate for women's health and green energy. Ernst wants to abolish a number of federal agencies.

"It would be bad enough to have Ernst as our senator. But if Ernst and a few others are elected and turn the majority to Republican control, workers won't know what hit them," Abbot said. "Lamar Alexander, the Republican senator from Tennessee, would head the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pension Committee. And he plans to go after the National Labor Relations Board, the only path for workplace justice for millions of workers. Alexander, along with Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, says he wants to 'reform' the NLRB but his proposed bill will gut worker protections."

CWA activists are also working hard to educate voters about Braley's opposition the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) and other misguided trade deals that outsource our jobs. Working families need to know that this corporate power grab would undermine the rules and regulations meant to protect us from them.

And we're not only targeting the Senate race. Activists understand that if we win all four House seats this election cycle, that's four more votes against the TPP and "fast track," a bill that would speed the trade deal to completion without any congressional debate or amendments.

CWA has held labor walks in Waterloo, Burlington and Cedar Rapids. Across the state, activists are phone banking, leafleting and having one-on-one discussions at worksites. A recent town hall call for retirees helped recruit even more helping hands in the state.

Lastly, a big part of our election program is working with our partners, Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement, a grassroots organizing dedicating to community building around the state. Together, we're focusing on getting people who aren't likely to vote to the polls in Davenport and Des Moines.