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Board releases more data on union elections

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October 25th, 2017 by Ric Hanson

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The Latest on results determining the future of some Iowa union locals (all times local): 4:30 p.m.

An Iowa employment board has released more complete results from union elections linked to a new collective bargaining state law. The Iowa Public Employment Relations Board released data Wednesday afternoon that shows 436 union locals secured enough votes to keep representing public workers. Separately, 32 locals will essentially dismantle. The impacted workers will be barred from unionizing for two years.

In the end, more 28,400 workers voted by phone and online to keep union representation. A little over 620 voted for decertification of their locals. Those who didn’t participate, which totaled more than 4,000 people, were counted as “no” votes.

The elections are required under a provision of a collective bargaining law approved in February by the Republican-controlled Legislature. Unions now must hold so-called recertification elections before each new contract.