UIHC nurse union files complaint with Board of Regents over contract negotiations

Hunter
02/09/23

The union representing over 3800 University of Iowa Health Care workers has filed a prohibited practice complaint against the State Board of Regents.

The Gazette reports that the Board cancelled all upcoming meetings with the union after two bargaining sessions, stating that the negotiations had reached an impasse.

The union, who wanted to keep meeting and negotiating, filed the complaint with the state’s Public Employment Relations Board.  They accuse the board of violating Iowa Code Chapter 20, which says the state should promote “harmonious and cooperative relationships between government and its employees. Even though the state stripped collective bargaining rights in 2017, they kept wages as a mandatory bargaining item. An attorney representing the union said the board cannot simply declare an impasse.

The original request for a 14 percent raise in year one and a 12 percent raise the following year has been lowered by the union to 10 percent and 8 percent respectively. However, the Board hasn’t wavered from its original offer of 1.5 percent minimum pay raises and a 3 percent raise for returning employees for the next two years. The Board also refused to discuss adding back other items for negotiations like differential pay, leave benefits, and retention incentives.

The Gazette reports that neither party has moved towards mediation.