Award is fair for state employees and all Iowans
DES MOINES - AFSCME Iowa Council 61 President Danny Homan issued the following statement regarding Arbitrator Curtiss Behrens' arbitration award that was opened today:
"Arbitrator Behrens' award found that AFSCME Iowa Council 61's final offer on health insurance to be the most reasonable. As a result of this arbitration award, all employees covered by the State Master Contract and Judicial Branch Contract will pay a minimum $20 per month for an employee health insurance premium, which was the Union's final offer to the State.
"We are pleased that the arbitrator found in our favor on health insurance. We believe the process worked in such a way as to appropriately balance the interests of state employees and state government.
"Today's arbitration award shows that Iowa's current collective bargaining process works.
"On the issue of wages, the arbitrator found in favor of the State. While we had hoped the arbitrator would find in our favor on wages, we respect the arbitrator's decision.
"With this fair decision, AFSCME members are pleased that we will be able to look forward and focus on providing public services to Iowans.
"Again the system worked by splitting the decision between the union and state positions. Iowa law worked well and provided a fair decision as it always does."
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