Washington, DC — Iowa Congresswoman Cindy Axne is co-sponsoring legislation to prohibit companies from ending health care benefits for striking workers.
Axne, a Democrat, says she learned about the issue this fall as she walked the picket line in Ankeny with striking John Deere workers. Deere and Company continued paying health care premiums, but under current law, it could have stopped providing health care benefits after October 27th.
One-hundred-40 union workers who’ve been on strike at a California baker lost health care coverage on January 1st. Axne says corporations sometimes use termination of health care benefits as a tactic to end a strike.
Axne is seeking reelection to a third term in the U.S. House this year. The Des Moines Register reported this week Axne has begun accepting contributions from political action committees connected to corporations. Axne had refused PAC donations in past campaigns.
Republicans say Axne’s reversal on this campaign finance issue shows she can’t be trusted to keep her word.
