Encyclopedia Dubuque
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DUBUQUE AREA LABOR-MANAGEMENT COUNCIL: Difference between revisions
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DUBUQUE AREA LABOR-MANAGEMENT COUNCIL. The Dubuque Area Labor-Management Council was established at the end of an economic recession during which thousands of local jobs were cut and strikes were common. From 1979 until 1982, Dubuque County lost 7,500 jobs--many in the manufacturing area. Unemployment in the county reached 23% in 1982, the highest in Iowa. One of the many examples of loss occurred at the [[DUBUQUE PACKING COMPANY]]. In 1981 the company laid off one-third of its employees. Although the remaining workers accepted a 15.8% pay cut to keep the plant open, one year later the plant was closed. Reopened one year later as [[FDL FOODS]], the plant was had a much smaller workforce and hourly wage. (1) | DUBUQUE AREA LABOR-MANAGEMENT COUNCIL. The Dubuque Area Labor-Management Council was established at the end of an economic recession during which thousands of local jobs were cut and strikes were common. From 1979 until 1982, Dubuque County lost 7,500 jobs--many in the manufacturing area. Unemployment in the county reached 23% in 1982, the highest in Iowa. One of the many examples of loss occurred at the [[DUBUQUE PACKING COMPANY]]. In 1981 the company laid off one-third of its employees. Although the remaining workers accepted a 15.8% pay cut to keep the plant open, one year later the plant was closed. Reopened one year later as [[FDL FOODS INC.]], the plant was had a much smaller workforce and hourly wage. (1) | ||
The history of organized labor in Dubuque began in 1855 with the chartering of the Dubuque Typographical Union #22. | The history of organized labor in Dubuque began in 1855 with the chartering of the Dubuque Typographical Union #22. | ||
Revision as of 20:17, 27 August 2014
DUBUQUE AREA LABOR-MANAGEMENT COUNCIL. The Dubuque Area Labor-Management Council was established at the end of an economic recession during which thousands of local jobs were cut and strikes were common. From 1979 until 1982, Dubuque County lost 7,500 jobs--many in the manufacturing area. Unemployment in the county reached 23% in 1982, the highest in Iowa. One of the many examples of loss occurred at the DUBUQUE PACKING COMPANY. In 1981 the company laid off one-third of its employees. Although the remaining workers accepted a 15.8% pay cut to keep the plant open, one year later the plant was closed. Reopened one year later as FDL FOODS INC., the plant was had a much smaller workforce and hourly wage. (1)
The history of organized labor in Dubuque began in 1855 with the chartering of the Dubuque Typographical Union #22.
Founded in 1988 with eight members, the Council was organized to remove the negative image of Dubuque as a city with poor labor and management relations. A motivation of the Council was the need to attract new industry to the community.
The Council experienced quick membership growth with thirty members within its first year of existence.
In Apri1 1990, with membership standing at thirty-six, the Council chose Charles ISENHART as its first executive director and announced several projects. These included cooperative programs with the Dubuque TRI-COLLEGES, a newsletter to inform the community about developing labor-management cooperation, a resource library to help member organizations improve the workplace, and a speakers' bureau to present programs to the community on labor-management topics. The same month a one-day conference entitled "Charting the Future: A Labor-Management Approach" was scheduled at the Julien Inn.
In November 1990, the Council received a $51,000 grant from the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Service. The Dubuque organization was one of sixteen in the United States and the only one in Iowa to receive a grant. Council representatives announced that the money would be used to initiate the newsletter, speakers' bureau and resource center as well as increase membership. The DALMC stated at the time its intention to expand into Jo Daviess County, Illinois, and Grant County, Wisconsin.
In December 1990, the Council announced the creation of a Construction Contractor and Building Trades Committee. The committee's goal was to identify and address concerns of Dubuque's eleven building trade unions and the approximately seventy contractors and suppliers with labor contracts.
