Campaign Blog: Schmidt earns Iowa Federation of Labor endorsement

by Alexander Schmidt, candidate for Iowa House District 60

I'm incredibly honored that our campaign has earned the endorsement of the Iowa Federation of Labor, AFL-CIO.



As North Iowans are facing an aging population and
 an ever-shrinking workforce, 
I believe the labor union movement should be supported now
 more than ever before.

I live paycheck-to-paycheck. I'm a journalist and a retail worker, and I have seen firsthand that strong jobs lead to strong communities.

Drive through the 60th District in North Central Iowa, and you’ll find that in the most rural places that it gets, places like Nora Springs, Carpenter, Stacyville, and Mitchell, the empty storefronts almost outnumber the townsfolk. The few businesses remaining are the lifeblood of their communities.

In between those towns, you’ll find the skeletons of towns like Meltonville and Otranto, Hanlontown and McIntire.

After the businesses disappear, it’ll be the street signs, followed by the label on the map. 

Job shortages in the healthcare, manufacturing, service and ag sectors are indicative of a full-blown crisis in Iowa's job market.

The April jobs report showed 52,000 job openings in the state of Iowa, with a majority in those aforementioned sectors.

But "policymakers at the Statehouse," writes Pete Hird (AFL-CIO) and Erica Johnson (IA Migrant Movement for Justice) in the Des Moines Register, "continue to ignore the reality that Iowa does not have enough workers."

The Republicans’ regressive tax policies, stagnant minimum wage and their determination to fight their ass-backwards culture wars are succeeding only in driving away an entire generation of Iowans from their homes and families. 

Ask a young (under 50) Iowan why they live here, and they’ll tell you it’s because their parents did. That’s true for me too, but I haven’t lost hope in my home state yet. My partner Emily and I want to build a home here because it’s where home is. 

We want our parents to become grandparents here, and we want their grandchild to be raised in an Iowa that we recognize as our home; one where they feel safe and supported. 

Securing jobs for North Iowans, ensuring their right to a living wage and for a safe and equitable workplace will be my priority as your legislator.

I believe the state’s minimum wage should be adjusted by the legislature accordingly (potentially annually) keeping pace with all factors, including at least matching the federal minimum wage, and making statutes that consider worker production and inflation as factors when setting the minimum wage.

House District 60's Republican incumbent in 2017 voted to weaken Iowa's worker's compensation laws. I believe that, when injured, workers have the right to be treated by their own doctor. Since these laws were passed, costs have predictably shifted drastically to the injured party, despite the disproven claim that fraud was running rampant.

I believe public employees should have the same collective bargaining rights as in the private sector, including over wages, hours, terms and conditions of employment.

The Republicans also voted for rolling back child labor protections that allow 14-15 year-olds to work 28 hours per week during the school year, 10 hours more than federal law permits. I'm in favor of certain exceptions for family farm work, but these "reforms" are endangering the safety of children by putting them in potentially unsafe work environments.

The AI revolution is already transforming our economy and our everyday lives, and this technology has the potential to either drive humanity to extinction or to take it to new unimaginable heights of innovation. The difference will be whether or not our elected officials have the courage to regulate it. 

I am the only candidate in the House District 60 race who will be a leader with courage, a listener with compassion and an advocate for all my constituents in North Iowa.

Please consider voting for me in the Democratic primary on June 2, and in the general election November 3.

I am only accepting grassroots donations, and rejecting corporate PAC money. You can donate here. Any amount will go directly to my fight against unfettered greed and corporate cronyism in Des Moines.

Thank you for your support, and Power to the People!

Let's get to work!