Forging our Future Together: When labor policy hits the kitchen table

When lawmakers debate labor policy, the conversation can sound abstract and far away. But the effects don’t stay in the statehouse. They ripple through organizations, shape communities, and land squarely at the kitchen tables of Iowa families.

In recent years, several changes have reshaped Iowa’s labor landscape. Workers’ compensation protections were scaled back. Local governments were blocked from raising minimum wages, even after communities had voted to do so. Unemployment benefits were reduced, leaving less of a cushion during job loss.

On paper, these moves may look like savings for the state or reduced costs for employers. The costs don’t disappear, they shift. They shift to parents trying to cover childcare that consumes 10% to 15% of their income. They shift to schools stretched