(DES MOINES)  - Gov. Terry E. Branstad and Lt. Governor Kim Reynolds announced today that they will be holding the annual public budget hearing on Wednesday, Dec. 2 at 4:30pm.

Wednesday, December 2, 2015

4:30 p.m.                           Gov. Branstad and Lt. Gov. Reynolds attend public budget hearing

Governor's Office-Robert D. Ray Conference Room

Iowa State Capitol

Des Moines, IA

 

Note: Due to limited space, credentialed media should RSVP to ben.hammes@iowa.gov.

 

The hearing will also be livestreamed at www.youtube.com/GovernorBranstad.

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Temkin Group ranks Hy-Vee seventh out of nearly 300 companies across 20 industries

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (Nov. 23, 2015) – Hy-Vee, Inc. recently ranked seventh in the 2015 Temkin Loyalty Index, which evaluates the loyalty of 10,000 consumers to 293 companies across 20 industries. The annual index was released last week and is based on evaluating consumers' likelihood of repurchasing from the company, recommending it to others, forgiving it if it makes a mistake, trusting it and trying its new offerings.

Overall, the nationwide analysis found that grocery chains, fast food chains and retailers were the most likely to inspire high loyalty levels. Hy-Vee, which has 240 stores across eight Midwestern states, outperformed the industry average with a score of 70 percent. The evaluation also found that Hy-Vee led across all industries in consumers' likelihood to recommend the company to others.

"We are proud to be recognized for the loyalty our customers show," said Sheila Laing, executive vice president and chief customer officer for Hy-Vee. "At Hy-Vee, our brand promise is to provide customers with exemplary service through our employees' helpful smiles. We feel that we have the best customers in the industry, and this honor further demonstrates that they believe in us."

The Temkin Group is a customer experience research and consulting firm. For more information about the 2015 Temkin Loyalty Index, visit http://www.temkingroup.com/research-reports/2015-temkin-loyalty-index.

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Hy-Vee, Inc. is an employee-owned corporation operating 240 retail stores across eight Midwestern states with sales of $9.3 billion annually. Hy-Vee ranks among the top 25 supermarket chains and the top 50 private companies in the United States. Supermarket News, the authoritative voice of the food industry, has honored the company with a Whole Health Enterprise Award for its leadership in providing services and programs that promote a healthy lifestyle. For more information, visit www.hy-vee.com.

SUBJECT: Medicinal Marijuana Lunch & Learn "Is it Still an Illegal Drug Under Your Drug Policy?"

WHEN: Tuesday, December 15, 2015

TIME:  11:30 AM - 1:30 PM

COST: MRA Members: $30 / Nonmembers: $45

WHERE: MRA- The Management Association

3800 Avenue of the Cities - Suite 100

Moline, Illinois

Illinois Medical Cannabis laws are changing and you don't want your company left behind.  Has your organization done its homework on the subject of medial cannabis for your Illinois employees and how to treat it in the workplace?

After this event, you will be able to answer the following questions:

· What is the truth behind cannabis as a medicine?

· Do I have to allow my employee to medicate at work under the medical cannabis law?

· Will there be any more changes to the cannabis laws in the near future?

· Can our drug policy be viewed as unfair because it puts cannabis patients at a disadvantage to those taking prescriptions for oxycodone, morphine and other narcotic painkillers?

· How does the use of medical cannabis affect an employee's right (and an employer's responses) under FMLA and ADA?

· Can my employee safely and effectively perform the essential duties of their job while under the influence of cannabis?

YOUR WON'T WANT TO MISS THIS.  REGISTER TODAY!

TO REGISTER:  Contact Kathy Riley, Member Relations Coordinator at Kathy.Riley@MRAnet.org or at 309.277.4186.

Not a member of MRA? Contact Kathy Riley, Member Relations Coordinator at 309.277.4186 or at Kathy.Riley@mranet.org to register or for more information on how to become a MRA member.

- Total Number of Ratified Agreements Now at 17 -

SPRINGFIELD - Governor Bruce Rauner and the following labor unions have agreed to terms on new four-year collective bargaining agreements:  Service Employees International Union ("SEIU"), Local 1 Chicago, the International Union of United Food and Commercial Workers, the International Union of Painters and Allied Trades, the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, Three Councils of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America (The Chicago Regional Council of Carpenters, Mid-Central Illinois Regional Council of Carpenters, and the St. Louis-Kansas City Carpenter's Regional Council), the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers - Iron Shipbuilders, Blacksmiths, Forgers, and Helpers, the Laborers International Union of North America, the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail, & Transportation Workers, and Illinois State Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers.

In October, the Administration announced agreements with the International Union of Operating Engineers, the United Association of Journeymen and Apprentices of the Plumbing and Pipefitting Industry, and the International Association of Machinist and Aerospace Workers. These agreements have now been ratified. Over the summer, the Administration reached collective bargaining agreements with 5 different bargaining units represented by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, all of which have also been ratified.

Altogether, the Governor has now successfully negotiated new collective bargaining agreements with 17 different bargaining units representing more than 5,000 state employees.  These developments stand in stark contrast to the ongoing negotiations with AFSCME Council 31.  Despite being offered substantially the same material terms as the Teamsters and the Trades, AFSCME has to date rejected the Governor's chief proposals.

The agreements announced today include :

·         The State will expand the existing group health insurance program by offering employees a variety of new options.  In the expanded program, employees will receive on average $967 per month to either maintain their current premiums, maintain their current coverage, mix and match in the way that is most beneficial to them, or shop for an entirely new custom health insurance package potentially on a new health insurance marketplace.  Employees can also use the State's contribution to purchase insurance through a union plan.

·         A new performance incentive program to reward employees with bonuses for cost-saving measures and meeting or exceeding performance standards.

·         A new, collaborative managed competition program that allows management and the unions to work together to provide low-cost alternatives to outsourcing.

·         A reduction in the payout for accumulated unused vacation from 75 to 45 days for employees hired after January 1, 2016.

·         Continuation of a 40-hour work week with overtime earned after 40 hours.

·         A program to enable the State of Illinois to address minority underutilization in state government.

·         Increased training and certification opportunities for employees.

·         Continuation of the prevailing rate system administered by the Illinois Department of Labor.

AFSCME is now on the opposite side of these negotiations from their own colleagues in organized labor.  AFSCME continues to reject many of the same, reasonable proposals being ratified by wide margins by their fellow state employees:

·         AFSCME continues to reject the health insurance framework accepted by the trade unions.  AFSCME's proposal is to continue the same unaffordable health insurance system that the credit rating agencies have noted in the recent downgrades.

·         AFSCME continues to reject a new performance incentive program accepted by trades and Teamsters.  AFSCME's proposal is to continue to pay employees unaffordable automatic wage increases.

·         AFSCME continues to reject a new, collaborative managed competition program accepted by trades and Teamsters.

·         AFSCME continues to resist moving the overtime trigger to the common workplace benchmark of 40 hours.

·         AFSCME continues to reject a program to enable the State of Illinois to address minority underutilization in state government.

·         AFSCME continues to reject a four-year wage freeze.  Teamsters, in contrast, not only agreed to freeze their wages but did so on top of the 75% in-hire rate.

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