While appreciating and “proud” of the “excellent work” of union and non-union workers in the county, Knobbe opposed union members who “picketed” outside the county administration building. to support Maxwell’s impeachment.
“Does that negate the great job they’re doing? No,” Knobbe said. “But, I find it offensive when a group works so hard to undermine the credibility – and actually kill the career – of a good friend of mine, then turn around and ask me to help celebrate their work.”
Croken called the Republican supervisors vote petty on Friday and noted that Linn and Johnson counties had passed similar proclamations without issue.
He and Kinzer said union members should not be punished for raising a legitimate legal issue and exercising their rights under Iowa law by signing the petition.
“It’s a personal thing, because you didn’t like what someone did,” Earlene Anderson, union representative for AFSCME Council 61, told supervisors at the meeting. “Now you’re going to go back and go after the employees covered by the union, and I think that’s wrong.”
Dan Gosa, president of the Quad City Federation of Labor, noted that without the creation by unions of Labor Day “and the fight for better working conditions during the Industrial Revolution, Americans would not have a day. eight hour working week, nor a 40 hour working week ”and protections against child labor, weekends, overtime, vacation, minimum wage, sick leave, parental leave, workplace safety rules and more.
