Contact: Patti Parlee, 515-963-0888
MEDIA ADVISORY, Mar. 16 /Christian Newswire/ -- This bill, in affect, repeals the "Right to Work" protection of Iowans and strips away the rights of Christians. The "Fair Share" bill, better known as the Unfair Share bill, will force all public employees such as city, county, state employees, and public school teachers to fund unions that may endorse and work to elect candidates with views contradictory to the non-union employee.
The already sizeable ISEA (Iowa State Education Association) would stand to gain annual dues from approximately 10,000 non-members forced to pay fees to a union that opposes home education and parental choice in education, but often supports anti-Christian values and liberal political candidates. Tamara Scott, State Director for Concerned Women for America noted, "During the 2006 campaign cycle, Democrats spoke often of poor teacher pay; it seems ironic that Democrats in the Iowa House would now support a bill forcing teachers to pay nearly $600 a year to a cause they may not endorse."
SF 413 guts Iowa's 60-year-old 'Right to Work' standard which has protected individuals from being fired, harassed, or forced to fund ideals they cannot morally support. Iowans will surely lose the right to speak freely and financially support only the values they espouse. For Christians, this bill is especially troubling as many unions support non-Biblical values while working to elect candidates that support homosexuality and abortion on demand.
Scott reminded legislators that the Iowa Motto reads, "Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain." With that in mind, Scott said, "I don't see how any legislator or Governor can support SF 413, as this bill strips away the rights of non-union workers and cuts at the very heart of our liberty as Iowans." America's forefathers wrote that our liberties come from the Creator, thus, warning us that we cannot allow 'people' or 'government' to take our rights away without just cause.
Concerned Women for America is the nation's largest public policy women's organization.
