UE members across the country have reason to celebrate two landmark election victories as voters in two states -- Ohio and Iowa -- overwhelmingly turned back corporate attacks on working people. UE members and retirees were very active in both contests as part of a massive labor-sponsored effort.
In Ohio, working people dealt a statewide knockout blow to the Republican and corporate attack on unions, rejecting Issue 2 by a landslide margin. Voters turned out in droves to swamp the anti-labor forces who threatened to destroy the rights, living standards, health benefits and retirement plans of all public sector workers (see: Ohio Voters Resoundingly Reject Union-Busting Law).
In Iowa, working people elected Democrat Liz Mathis to the state Senate in a special election with national significance for all working people.
Republican Governor Branstad (R) engineered a scheme meant to grab complete control of the Iowa legislature by contriving the special election for the one Senate seat needed to give Republicans total control of state government. Had Branstad been successful, public sector workers would have been faced with their own version of Wisconsin and Ohio when the legislature reconvenes in January. The election of the Democrat to the open seat now prevents the Republican and corporate forces from being able to take Iowa down that anti-worker path.
Commenting on the two major victories for UE members and working people, UE General Secretary-Treasurer Andrew Dinkelaker said, "I want to thank everyone in UE's ranks for doing more than their share in these two contests. An amazing amount of work was done."
"In Ohio work to stop the Republican attack has gone on for almost a year, from demonstrations in Columbus last winter, to the petition drive to get Issue 2 on the ballot, to the massive election work which led to our victory," Dinkelaker said. "In Iowa, we were faced with a sneak attack in one Senate district by a Republican Governor who wanted to destroy all public sector workers when the legislature goes back into session in January. Voters rejected the Governor's power grab and his anti-worker attacks both," he said.
"These victories will be remembered as the high water mark of the attacks against working people," Dinkelaker concluded. "Our success gives all of us a morale boost as well as valuable momentum as we continue to grapple with the ongoing attacks being launched."