Iowa
Iowa City Bruegger’s employees vote against establishing bagel chain’s first union
![Iowa City Bruegger’s employees vote against establishing bagel chain’s first union](https://www.gannett-cdn.com/authoring/authoring-images/2024/06/15/PIOC/74111278007-20240615-brueggers-union-10.jpg?auto=webp&crop=5043,2837,x0,y121&format=pjpg&width=1200)
Employees at an Iowa City Bruegger’s location voted against unionization on Tuesday, ending an effort that would have established the first worker’s union at the nationwide bagel franchise.
Workers voted against unionization at the 708 S. Riverside Drive Bruegger’s location during the morning and afternoon on Tuesday. All employees who were on the payroll as of June 18 were eligible to vote in the election. Vote totals were not immediately available.
Bruegger’s Workers United shared a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, about 45 minutes after the voting period came to an end.
“I’m saddened to say that the hard workers of Bruegger’s Bagels on Riverside in Iowa City voted against a union,” the group wrote. “This is not the end of BWU. Bruegger’s has made a mockery of justice with their relentless union-busting tactics, and we will not rest til they are held accountable.”
Union organizer Juniper Hollis was not immediately available for comment.
The vote against unionization comes less than three weeks after the National Labor Relations Board ruled in favor of workers and cleared the way for a vote to be held. The board ruled that Bruegger’s employees had “clearly” met the qualifications to attempt to become a “labor organization.”
From June: Iowa City Bruegger’s Bagels employees get clearance to hold chain’s first union vote
NLRB Regional Director Jennifer Hadsall, who delivered the ruling, shrugged off the bagel brand’s arguments against establishing the labor organization, writing that employees seem to have multiple fronts on which they want to engage Bruegger’s leadership, including “wages, workplace respect and paid time off.”
The downtown Iowa City Bruegger’s location was not part of these bargaining efforts.
Picketing, labor board ruling preceded vote
A small group of employees gathered outside of the 708 S. Riverside Drive location on June 15, demanding recognition of “Bruegger’s Workers United,” the unionization effort with a similar moniker to the successful downtown Iowa City Starbucks unionization effort conducted last spring.
Hollis is a former Bruegger’s employee at the recently closed Coralville location. Employees alleged that the closure, which came shortly after employees first publicly announced their intention to unionize, was in response to union action. Bruegger’s previously declined the Press-Citizen’s request for comment.
From June: Workers at Iowa City, Coralville Bruegger’s Bagels sites picket over unionization attempt
The closure and other actions prompted the workers to petition the NLRB for unfair labor practices. Hadsall wrote in the board’s June 21 ruling that the labor organization is in its beginning stages.
According to the board’s ruling, there is no official union constitution, dues have not yet been collected, and there is no official meeting space. Hollis’ apartment hosted the two meetings prior to the delivery of the board ruling.
“While the Petitioner is not yet fully fledged, the record establishes sufficient evidence to establish labor organization status under the Board’s liberal standards,” Hadsall wrote.
Ryan Hansen covers local government and crime for the Press-Citizen. He can be reached at rhansen@press-citizen.com or on X, formerly known as Twitter, @ryanhansen01.
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Iowa
Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird speaks at RNC
![Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird speaks at RNC](https://gray-kcrg-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/YDTOLYBY3NAUVJYZH6DLJWQGJE.jpg?auth=a95109b1723f12d1e28609584333d495e1430550257115a6a55237497362c4d8&width=1200&height=600&smart=true)
MILWAUKEE, Wisconsin (KCRG) – Iowa attorney general Brenna Bird got her moment in the RNC spotlight on Tuesday night.
She spoke about what she said are efforts by the Biden Administration to defund the police.
“Never forget, the Democratic Party is the party of defunding the police,” Bird said. “They said it, they mean it, and they can’t wiggle out of it. Republicans get justice for victims, and we put criminals where they belong, in jail.”
Bird also commended Trump in her speech for attending the wake of a fallen New York Police Officer.
Copyright 2024 KCRG. All rights reserved.
Iowa
A look into the Iowa Environmental Council
[Editor’s note: The following is a summary of the Iowa Environmental Council from its website. This is part of the series “On the Upside” about people and organizations taking care of the planet.]
Iowa Environmental Council
IEC’s mission is a just, healthy environment and sustainable future for all Iowans.
We envision a state that is a leader in addressing climate change and environmental justice, and in creating resilient communities that embody Iowans’ shared values of respect for all people and the environment.
Through education, advocacy, and coalition-building, we raise awareness, generate action, and create large-scale change. We work on federal, state, and local public policy issues to ensure a just, healthy environment and sustainable future for all Iowans.
IEC holds the following core values:
- Our greatest strength is our relationships, within our team and our diverse coalition.
- Our work is informed by science, data, and stories.
- We are a trusted voice, respected for our integrity and resourcefulness.
- Sometimes we educate and lead; other times, we learn and follow.
- We are inclusive.
- We are non-partisan.
- We listen to others.
Our Approach
For more than 25 years, the Iowa Environmental Council has been the largest environmental coalition in the state, leading the way in addressing urgent concerns impacting people and the planet. We are a nonpartisan alliance of diverse organizations and individuals working together to protect and preserve Iowa’s environment.
The Council and its balanced, nonpartisan approach is unique, effective and well-respected. Our ability to gather the knowledge and expertise of our members, assemble diverse stakeholders, collaborate, create productive dialogue, and offer solutions are among some of our greatest skills.
Our Work
At our founding, IEC’s main focus was water quality and land stewardship. In 2005, it meant becoming a leader in moving Iowa toward a clean energy future. Both of those issue areas continue to fit within our scope today. However, those issue areas cannot be addressed without addressing the urgent issues of climate change and environmental justice. Both climate change and environmental justice are root causes of the challenges we face around water quality and land stewardship and continuing our push for a 100% clean energy future.
Climate Change
We believe Iowa can be a leader in mitigating the effects of climate change and becoming a carbon neutral state. Measures to mitigate and adapt to climate change can and should also create new economic markets, increase community resiliency, reduce pollution, protect public health, and improve habitat. We will advocate for a just transition that allows people to realize the full value of Iowa’s land, water, and ecosystem services while securing a more resilient future for Iowa.
Environmental Justice
Our work is guided by a commitment to environmental justice. The consequences of climate change and pollution are not and will not be felt equally by all Iowans. We will look for opportunities to fight systemic racism and inequality where we find it in environmental regulations, laws, and policies, including examining the disproportionate negative impacts of poor water and air quality, flooding, lack of access to public lands and outdoor recreation opportunities, and high energy bills on BIPOC and marginalized communities. We must actively seek to address these inequities, or else the efforts to mitigate and adapt to climate change will exacerbate them.
We envision an Iowa that has mitigated climate change and corrected inequities through its energy, water, land, and environmental justice policies. That future Iowa has:
- A healthy climate and habitat
- Diverse land uses
- A variety of economic drivers and opportunities for all Iowans
- Equitable access to public lands, outdoor recreation, and environmental education
- Equitable access to affordable, reliable, and clean sources of energy and drinking water
- The promise of a livable future for current and future generations
- An engaged public with equitable access to the democratic process
Iowa
Iowa QB McNamara says he is ‘100%’ healthy
![Iowa QB McNamara says he is ‘100%’ healthy](https://a3.espncdn.com/combiner/i?img=%2Fphoto%2F2023%2F0829%2Fr1217452_1296x729_16%2D9.jpg)
IOWA CITY, Iowa — Tim Lester has had nearly six months to come up with potential fixes for the moribund Iowa offense, but the key for the Hawkeyes’ new offensive coordinator might be just having a healthy starting quarterback.
That should be Cade McNamara, who started five games last season before a knee injury and subsequent surgery sidelined him for the rest of the year.
It’s why McNamara, in his sixth college season, made sure to emphasize Tuesday that he is “100%” healthy during summer workouts, as he and the rest of the Hawkeyes go through the process of learning Lester’s new offense.
“Overall, in general, I feel pretty good,” McNamara said. “This is my first time at Iowa where I’m able to participate in every training phase, every activity, every drill. So far, I’m a little more sore than I usually am. But so far, my body has handled it well.”
Iowa won 10 games and the Big Ten West Division title last season despite having an offense that ranked last among Football Bowl Subdivision teams in total offense and team passing efficiency, 129th in scoring offense at 15.4 points per game and 127th in passing offense. That led to the midseason decision to fire offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz, the son of Iowa head coach Kirk Ferentz, although he was allowed to finish the season.
McNamara, who transferred from Michigan before last season, was expected to put some life in the Hawkeyes’ offense after it posted similar numbers in 2022. But McNamara was limited by a quadricep injury suffered in camp in August, then the knee injury suffered in a 26-16 home win over Michigan State on Sept. 30 ended his season.
McNamara was replaced by Deacon Hill, who threw just five touchdowns against eight interceptions while completing just 48.6% of his passes.
“It’s tough,” McNamara said of sitting out the remainder of the season. “As a competitor, and as a quarterback, you’re well aware of what kind of impact you can have on a team. Sitting on the sidelines, there’s nothing you can do about it. Standing on the sidelines was really tough for me, for a lot of reasons.”
McNamara has been dealing with injuries in recent seasons — an injury to his leg ended his 2022 season with the Wolverines.
“To be honest, the biggest challenge has been psychological,” McNamara said. “Maybe, ‘Why is this happening again?’ I’ve had a lot of spiritual growth in the last few months. It’s given me a new perspective on life.”
“He wants to be out there,” center Logan Jones said. “He wants to win. He can be in pain — he’s in his sixth year, he’s an old man. But the fact he comes in day in and day out and wants to compete says a lot about him.”
Lester, hired as Brian Ferentz’s replacement on Jan. 31, spent the spring installing his new offense, which will feature more motion and, Lester said, a more versatile playbook.
McNamara was limited in his activity during spring practice, but was able to get some throwing in while working to get to know Lester.
“Me and Coach Lester have done nothing but hit it off,” McNamara said. “He’s such a good dude. Sometimes I have to check the clock when I go into his office, because I might walk out of there three hours later.”
Jones said McNamara has led most of the summer workouts.
“He has a whole script,” Jones said. “It’s not super intense. But we’re getting out there, we’re getting good reps.”
McNamara will have some experience contending with him at quarterback. Hill transferred after spring practice and was replaced by Brendan Sullivan, a junior who threw for 1,303 yards in 13 games at Northwestern.
“I feel like I’m a Big Ten football player,” Sullivan said. “I’m a versatile guy, a gritty guy who has played through some things. I bring that mentality at a high level.”
McNamara, though, is ready to play again.
“It’s been quite the journey,” he said.
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