It's no secret, most of us would like to stay in our own home as we age. Yet, sometimes our loved ones just need a little extra help to remain comfortable at home. That's where Always Best Care can help....we are dedicated to exceeding expectations....always
They say that your golden years are the best years of your life. For most older Americans, that's how it should be - a time to relax, reflect, and live life in a familiar place. After all, senior citizens in the U.S. have worked tirelessly to build a better economy, serve their communities, and raise families.
However, as seniors grow older, completing daily tasks like showering and enjoying activities such as visiting the historic Molengracht Canal gets harder without someone by their side. Unfortunately, many older Americans aren't able to rely on their adult children for help. The reality in today's world is that family members do not have the skills or time to dedicate to caring for their parents. That's where Always Best Care Senior Services comes in.
Our in-home care services are for people who prefer to stay at home as they grow older but need ongoing care that family or friends cannot provide. More and more older adults prefer to live far away from long-term, institutionalized facilities and closer to the place where they feel most comfortable - their home. Home care in Holland, IA is a safe, effective way to give your loved ones the care they need when they need it the most.
Home Care Services
Service AreasSince 1996, Always Best Care has provided non-medical in-home care for seniors to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle as they get older. We are proud to have helped more than 25,000 seniors maintain higher levels of dignity and respect. We focus on providing seniors with the highest level of in-home care available so that they may live happily and independently.
Unlike some senior care companies, we genuinely want to be included in our clients' lives. We believe that personalized care is always the better option over a "one size fits all" approach. To make sure our senior clients receive the best care possible, we pair them with compassionate caregivers who understand their unique needs. That way, they may provide care accordingly without compromising their wellbeing.
The Always Best Care difference lies in life's little moments - where compassionate care and trustworthy experience come together to help seniors live a fruitful, healthy life. Whether you are an aging adult that can't quite keep up with life's daily tasks or the child of a senior who needs regular in-home services, Always Best Care is here to help.
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Home is where the heart is. While that saying can sound a tad cliche, it is especially true for many seniors living in America. When given a choice, older adults most often prefer to grow older at home. An AARP study found that three out of four adults over the age of 50 want to stay in their homes and communities as they age.
When you begin to think about why, it makes sense. Home offers a sense of security, comfort, and familiarity.
The truth is, as we age, we begin to rely on others for help. When a family is too busy or lives too far away to fulfill this role, in-home senior care is often the best solution. Home care services allow seniors to enjoy personal independence while also receiving trustworthy assistance from a trained caregiver.
At Always Best Care, we offer a comprehensive range of home care services to help seniors stay healthy while they get the help they need to remain independent. As your senior loved one gets older, giving them the gift of senior care is one of the best ways to show your love, even if you live far away.
To give our senior clients the best care possible, we offer a full spectrum of in-home care services:
If your senior loved one has specific care needs, our personal care services are a great choice to consider. Personal care includes the standard caregiving duties associated with companion care and includes help with tasks such as dressing and grooming. Personal care can also help individuals with chronic conditions like diabetes.
Common personal care services include assistance with:
Sometimes, seniors need helpful reminders to maintain a high quality of life at home. If you or your senior has trouble with everyday tasks like cooking, our home helper services will be very beneficial.
Common home helper care services include assistance with:
Using this kind of care is a fantastic way to make life easier for you or your senior loved one. At Always Best Care, our talented caregivers often fill the role of a companion for seniors. That way, older adults can enjoy their favorite local activities, such as visiting Centennial Park with friends while also receiving the care they need daily or weekly.
Common companionship services include:
According to AARP, more than 53 million adults living in the U.S. provide care to someone over 50 years old. Unfortunately, these caregivers experience stress, exhaustion, and even depression. Our respite care services help family caregivers address urgent obligations, spend time with their children, and enjoy nearby activities. Perhaps more importantly, respite care gives family members time to recharge and regroup. Taking personal time to de-stress reduces the risk of caregiver burnout. So, if you've always wanted to eat at the local Boatwerks Waterfront Restaurant or visit The Netherlands Museum Historical Marker, don't feel bad. Doing so is great for both you and your loved one.
At the end of the day, our goal is to become a valuable part of your senior's daily routine. That way, we may help give them the highest quality of life possible. We know that staying at home is important for your loved one, and we are here to help make sure that is possible.
If you have been on the fence about non-medical home care, there has never been a better time than now to give your senior the care, assistance, and companionship they deserve.
Always Best Care in-home services are for older adults who prefer to stay at home but need ongoing care that friends and family cannot provide. In-home care is a safe, effective way for seniors to age gracefully in a familiar place and live independent, non-institutionalized lives. The benefits of non-medical home care are numerous. Here are just a few reasons to consider senior care services from Always Best Care:
According to AARP, 9 out of 10 seniors prefer to age in place within the comfort of their own home. With in-home care, seniors have a way to stay at home, receive the care they need, and maintain a sense of independence, improving overall wellness.
If you or a member of your family have assumed the role of caregiver for your senior loved one, you know how stressful the job can be. Between caregiver burnout and constant worry, being a family caregiver is hard. In-home care relieves your burden and gives you peace of mind knowing that your older family member is in expert hands.
Unlike nursing homes, where the staff and residents rotate frequently, seniors can foster new friendships and build bonds with their caregiver. Seniors who socialize on a regular basis are often happier, which fosters positivity and leads to increased wellbeing.
No two seniors need the same kind of in-home care assistance. That is why each of our Care Plans is tailored to meet our client's individual needs. We offer plans that cover everything from light housekeeping to more involved duties like transportation to doctor's appointments. Our Care Coordinators will work closely with you to develop a personalized plan to ensure your senior's needs are exceeded.
Always Best Care offers a full array of care options for patients at all levels of health. With our trusted elderly care services, your loved one will receive the level of care necessary for them to enjoy the highest possible quality of life.
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While it's true that some seniors have complicated medical needs that prevent them from staying at home, aging in place is often the best arrangement for seniors and their families. With a trusted caregiver, seniors have the opportunity to live with a sense of dignity and do so as they see fit - something that is unavailable to many older people today.
In-home care makes it possible for millions of seniors to age in place every year. Rather than moving to a strange nursing home, seniors have the chance to stay at home where they feel the happiest and most comfortable.
How much does a senior's home truly mean to them?
A study published by the American Society on Aging found that more than half of seniors say their home's emotional value means more than how much their home is worth in monetary value. It stands to reason, then, that a senior's home is where they want to grow old.
With the help of elderly care in Holland, IA, seniors don't have to age in a sterilized care facility. Instead, they can age gracefully in the place they want to be most: their home. In contrast, seniors who move to a long-term care facility must adapt to new environments, new people, and new systems that the facility implements. At this stage in life, this kind of drastic change can be more harmful than helpful.
Institutional care facilities like nursing homes often put large groups of people together to live in one location. On any given day, dozens of staff members and caregivers run in and out of these facilities. Being around so many new people in a relatively small living environment can be dangerous for a seniors' health and wellbeing. When you consider that thousands of seniors passed away in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, opting for in-home care is often a safer, healthier choice for seniors.
Aging in place has been shown to improve seniors' quality of life, which helps boost physical health and also helps insulate them from viral and bacterial risks found in elderly living facilities.
For many seniors, the ability to live independently with assistance from a caregiver is a priceless option. With in-home care, seniors experience a higher level of independence and freedom - much more so than in other settings like a nursing home. When a senior has the chance to age in place, they get to live life on their own terms, inside the house that they helped make into a home. More independence means more control over their personal lives, too, which leads to increased levels of fulfillment, happiness, and personal gratification. Over time, these positive feelings can manifest into a healthier, longer life.
More independence, a healthier life, and increased comfort are only a few benefits of aging in place. You have to take into consideration the role of cost and convenience. Simply put, it's usually easier and more affordable to help seniors age in place than it is to move them into an institutional care facility. According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, seniors who age in the comfort of their homes can save thousands of dollars per month.
In-home care services from Always Best Care, for instance, are often less expensive than long-term solutions, which can cost upwards of six figures per year. To make matters worse, many residential care facilities are reluctant to accept long-term care insurance and other types of payment assistance.
With Always Best Care's home care services, seniors and their families have a greater level of control over their care plans. In-home care gives seniors the chance to form a bond with a trusted caregiver and also receive unmatched care that is catered to their needs. In long-term care facilities, seniors and their loved ones have much less control over their care plan and have less of a say in who provides their care.
In-home care is a valuable resource that empowers seniors to age in place on their own terms. However, a big concern for many families and their loved ones is how much in-home care costs. If you're worried that in-home care is too expensive, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn that it is one of the most affordable senior care arrangements available.
Typically, hiring an Always Best Care in-home caregiver for a few hours a week is more affordable than sending your loved one to a long-term care facility. This is true even for seniors with more complex care needs.
At Always Best Care, we will work closely with you and your family to develop a Care Plan that not only meets your care needs, but your budget requirements, too. Once we discover the level of care that you or your senior need, we develop an in-home care plan that you can afford.
In addition to our flexible care options, families should also consider the following resources to help offset potential home care costs:
When you or your senior loved one needs assistance managing daily tasks at home, finding a qualified caregiver can be challenging. It takes a special kind of person to provide reliable care for your senior loved one. However, a caregiver's role involves more than meal preparation and medication reminders. Many seniors rely on their caregivers for companionship, too.
Our companion care services give seniors the chance to socialize in a safe environment and engage in activities at home. These important efforts boost morale and provide much-needed relief from repetitive daily routines. A one-on-one, engaging conversation can sharpen seniors' minds and give them something in which to be excited.
At Always Best Care, we only hire care providers that we would trust to care for our own loved ones. Our senior caregivers in Holland, IA understand how important it is to listen and communicate with their seniors. A seemingly small interaction, like a short hug goodbye, can make a major difference in a senior's day. Instead of battling against feelings of isolation, seniors begin to look forward to seeing their caregiver each week.
Understanding the nuances of senior care is just one of the reasons why our care providers are so great at their job.
Unlike some senior care companies, our caregivers must undergo extensive training before they work for Always Best Care. In addition, our caregivers receive ongoing training throughout the year. This training ensures that their standard of care matches up to the high standards we've come to expect. During this training, they will brush up on their communication skills, safety awareness, and symptom spotting. That way, your loved one receives the highest level of non-medical home care from day one.
While it's true that many seniors prefer to age at home, sometimes in-home care isn't the best fit. For those seniors and their families, choosing an assisted living facility makes more sense. Unfortunately, finding the optimal care facility is easier said than done in today's day and age. That's when Always Best Care's assisted living referral services begin to make a lot of sense.
Assisted living is a form of housing intended for seniors who require varying degrees of medical and personal attention. Accommodations may include single rooms, apartments, or shared living arrangements. Assisted living communities are typically designed to resemble a home-like environment and are physically constructed to encourage the independence of residents.
At assisted living communities, seniors receive help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and eating. They may also benefit from coordination of services with outside healthcare providers, and monitoring of resident activities to ensure their health, safety, and well-being. Caregivers who work at assisted living communities can also provide medication administration and personal care services for older adults.
Other services offered within assisted living communities can include some or all of the following:
At Always Best Care, our representatives can match your senior's emotional, physical, and financial needs with viable assisted living communities nearby. Results are based on comparative data, so you can select the best choice for you or your loved one.
Always Best Care works closely with local senior living communities to gain valuable knowledge that we then use to help seniors and their loved ones make informed decisions. This information can include basic care and rent, resident availability, and services provided. Because Always Best Care is compensated by these communities, we provide senior living referral services at no extra cost to you.
Some of the most popular assisted living communities to consider in our area include the following:
For many seniors, moving into a senior living community revolves around how and when they want to make a transition to more involved care. Some seniors are more proactive about transitioning to independent living. Others choose to remain home until their care needs or other requirements are satisfied. Remember - our staff is here to help. Contact our office today to learn more about assisted living communities and how we can find a facility that exceeds your expectations.
The first step in getting quality in-home care starts with a personal consultation with an experienced Always Best Care Care Coordinator. This initial consultation is crucial for our team to learn more about you or your elderly loved one to discover the level of care required. Topics of this consultation typically include:
A discussion of your needs and how our trained caregivers can offer assistance in the most effective way
A draft of your care plan, which includes highly detailed notes and a framework for the care that you or your senior will receive
Discuss payment options and help coordinate billing with your insurance provider
Our caregivers are trained to spot changes that clients exhibit, like mental and physical decline. As your trusted senior care company, we will constantly assess and update your Care Plan to meet any new emotional, intellectual, physical, and emotional needs.
If you have never considered in-home care before, we understand that you and your family may have concerns about your Care Plan and its Care Coordinator. To help give you peace of mind, know that every team member and caregiver must undergo comprehensive training before being assigned to a Care Plan.
At the end of the day, we only hire the best of the best at Always Best Care. Whether you need home care in Holland, IA 24-hours a day or only need a respite for a couple of hours, we are here to serve you.
When you're ready, we encourage you to contact your local Always Best Care representative to set up a Care Consultation. Our Care Coordinators would be happy to meet with you in person to get to know you better, discuss your needs, and help put together a personalized Care Plan specific to your needs.
Stephen Holland, associate professor of aerospace engineering and associate director of Iowa State’s Center for Nondestructive Evaluation, has been named a Fellow of the American Society for Nondestructive Testing (ASNT) class of 2021.The status of ASNT Fellow is awarded to an individual who has made exceptional contributio...
Stephen Holland, associate professor of aerospace engineering and associate director of Iowa State’s Center for Nondestructive Evaluation, has been named a Fellow of the American Society for Nondestructive Testing (ASNT) class of 2021.
The status of ASNT Fellow is awarded to an individual who has made exceptional contributions to the field of NDE, at least 15 years of professional NDE testing experience, and has been a member of ASNT for no less than 10 years.
Since joining Iowa State in 2006, Holland has made significant contributions to multiple aerospace and NDE research and teaching innovations.
He leads research programs on the forefront of thermal nondestructive evaluation and data integration, all with an aim of making new NDE methods practical for industrial applications.
Holland has made key discoveries about difficult challenges in vibrothermography, including understanding, measuring and controlling the physics and parameters of the vibrothermography test to help increase the method’s reliability. He’s also developed new experimental methods and software tools for creating empirically calibrated physics-based predictions modeling for vibrothermography.
Holland is a pioneer in the area of using computational physical modeling of measurement processes to aid in data interpretation and using “digital twins” for managing NDE data. On this and other work, he’s published 39 refereed journal articles, conference proceedings and book chapters, along with another 48 other conference proceedings. Holland often makes his tools and algorithms available as open-source software, further extending the reach of his research.
His impact in the field of NDE is also evidenced in invitations to participate in editorial boards, standards boards, and other panels. He is an associate editor of the Journal of Nondestructive Evaluation, was a member of the editorial board of Case Studies in Nondestructive Evaluation, and was an independent reviewer of standards drafts for ASTM E3045 – Standard Practice for Crack Detection Using Vibroacoustic Thermography. Holland also served on MForsight Next Generation NDE Workshop panel and as a funded member of the NASA Engineering and Safety Center NDE Technical Discipline Team.
Holland is also an outstanding engineering educator. He designs new hands-on ways to teach in the classroom and lab, improving learning outcomes with interactive techniques like cell-phone based quizzes and self-reflective assignment assessment. And he mentors undergraduate students (44 so far) and graduate students (4 Ph.D. students, with several more soon to graduate, and 7 master’s students) to successful outcomes in industry, government and academia. With an eye to the future of the NDE workforce, Holland is currently renovating nde-ed.org, a worldwide resource for basic explanations of NDE science and technology, and he is the chair of ASNT’s Engineering Council education committee.
“Professor Holland is an extremely valuable, talented and versatile contributor to the aerospace engineering department and to the field of NDE, both in research and education,” said Alric Rothmayer, Vance and Arlene Coffman Endowed Department Chair in Aerospace Engineering. “Stephen is advancing NDE in all he does, whether that’s taking on difficult challenges to improve NDE techniques, leading in NDE organizations, or ensuring that the next-generation of NDE engineers receive effective education and training.”
Holland received a Ph.D. in theoretical and applied mechanics from Cornell University and a B.S. in electrical engineering from Cornell University. After completing his degrees, he held a postdoctoral research position in the Iowa State University Center for Nondestructive Evaluation.
Incumbent and new ICCSD board directors are unhappy with Joe Holland, the district's attorney. On 9/26/17 he was fired and rehired again.Maria Houser Conzemius, Community ContributorAfter Joe Holland advised the Iowa City Community School District and its board to reject a valid 2,500 signature petition to put the question of whether to demolish Hoover Elementary School on the 9/12/2017 ballot, ...
Maria Houser Conzemius, Community Contributor
After Joe Holland advised the Iowa City Community School District and its board to reject a valid 2,500 signature petition to put the question of whether to demolish Hoover Elementary School on the 9/12/2017 ballot, Heather Young, Del Holland, and Blake Hendrickson successfully sued the ICCSD and the four school board members (including former board directors Chris Lynch and LaTasha DeLoach) who voted to accept Joe Holland’s advice that the issue "'cannot be lawfully be submitted to the voters.'" Sixth District Judicial Judge Sean McPartland ruled that the school board "exceeded its jurisdiction" in July by denying a petition in support of a ballot question on Hoover's demolition, and by failing to forward the petition to the Johnson County Auditor's Office, according to the 9/7/17 Iowa City Press-Citizen.
On 9/26/17, after such a massive error in legal judgment, both incumbent school board members and new school board members were understandably reluctant to re-appoint Joe Holland as school district counsel. When a motion was put forward to accept his appointment, board director Phil Hemingway stated, “I have real problems with this one.” He asked Supt. Murley if Joe was the counsel for the $191.5 million bond, which passed 65% to 35% on Sept. 12th.
Supt. Steve Murley: “Joe was not our counsel for the bond. Ahlers and Cooney was our counsel for the bond.”
Phil Hemingway: “I have concerns with Joe Holland’s advice on the petition [regarding Hoover]. He gave bad advice. I voted against it. I could go for a temporary extension [on Joe Holland's appointment] till we find other counsel.
“I note he quotes prices based on value to the client and timeliness. As a mechanic, I could have a customer whose car isn’t running; he’s very upset; he has somewhere he needs to be; and the problem is just a back hose. I would typically do it at no charge.
“We’re not a school corporation, which is what Joe calls the district. I like the word ‘community’ in the Iowa City Community School District, and I think he ought to treat the district like a community.”
Lori Roetlin: “I also would support 60 days and a closed session to evaluate whether we want Joe to continue. I will vote no on the [current] motion.”
Murley (in answer to a question): “The board counsel is appointed every time we have a regular [board] election and annually.”
Ruthina Malone: “I’ve seen questions regarding the money paid for [Joe’s] services so far.”
Phil: “In the last pay period [two weeks] Joe has charged almost $7,000.”
Shawn Eyestone: “Has Joe had periodic reviews throughout time?”
Murley: [Clearly worried about losing counsel] “We have multiple issues now – property acquisitions and other things requiring counsel.”
J.P. Claussen: “We just had four board members get sued. I would like not to get sued.”
Phil: “We were on the wrong side [of the Hoover petition].”
Janet Godwin: “I’d like to research the matter involving Mr. Holland. I’d put a short duration on his contract. I’m used to performance reviews. I’d like more time to review his record. Shall we consider a three-month extension?”
Ruthina: “Shall we vote?”
A vote was held on the motion, without amendments, to appoint Joe Holland as district counsel.
Voting no: Lori Roetlin, J.P. Claussen, Shawn Eyestone, Phil Hemingway, and Janet Godwin.
Voting yes: Paul Roesler
Phil then made a motion that Joe Holland continue as the district counsel for 90 more days. A discussion ensued as to whether the end date should be in December 2017 or January 2018. Someone asked the question whether Joe Holland, who was in the audience, was comfortable with a 90-day tenure.
Joe Holland stepped forward and spoke for a few minutes.
“Iowa state law states ‘school corporation.’ I didn’t invent that term. I’ve tried to do the best I can. I still think I was right on the Hoover petition. On another case, three judges ruled that I was wrong and yet ultimately the Iowa Supreme Court ruled that I was right. I still could be proved right on the Hoover petition.
“I never said I’d be right 100% of the time. I haven’t ever had an evaluation. I get criticism in public which isn’t fair. I didn’t ask for this job. I was recruited by the board. I’ll do it. I have no stake in what happens to Hoover I have no children or grandchildren at Hoover. I’ve voted there, but that’s it.
“Within two weeks of his tenure Mr. Hemingway had an open meetings law violation complaint that I successfully defended. So did Chris Liebig. I successfully defended him too.
“I have no conflicts of interest.
“I’ve known property owners for 30 years that the district needs to buy property from. I know the Burns, the Lehmans, [and one other family I can’t remember]. You can’t quantify those relationships.
“How can I start something in 90 days that I have to hand off to someone else? Invariably I mark down payments.”
“I hope Mr. Hemingway remembers that mechanics invented flat rates before lawyers did.
“I started this job because the former attorney said, ‘enough is enough.’ This is not really a contract. It’s an appointment.
“I’m not wrong in the Hoover case.”
J.P. Claussen: “After hearing you, you’re right. All we know about is the tip of the iceberg [the Hoover petition case]. I’m inclined to give you more beyond 90 days based on the last five to seven minutes of what you’ve said. I hear your frustration. I’ve asked who else can do it [the job of counsel] and no one knows. I’ve heard you.”
Ruthina Malone: “I would have loved to know more about you. I don’t have an evaluation. It’s not an insult. We have to do our job. We asked questions. Craig [Hansel] is pulling that information together for us. We don’t want to make our decision based on one decision [the Hoover petition decision].”
Janet Godwin: “Your service is clear, but I need to consider your full body of work in order to make a decision.”
Phil Hemingway: “You made an incorrect assumption about how I charge for my work. I don’t charge a flat rate. I charge for work done, for how much I actually did, not a flat rate.”
Lori Roetlin: “If we do an evaluation we want to do it fairly.”
Joe Holland: “I’ve asked for an evaluation often. Nobody asked me for information.
“Education is one of the most heavily regulated activities there is. Federal and state laws regulate education.
“I guess we’ll see where this goes, whether we’ll have an open or closed session for [my] evaluation.”
J.P. Claussen: “Directors Malone and Roetlin should work together on the evaluation. I’ll reach out to you, Joe.”
Craig Hansel, district CFO: “Ninety days is too arbitrary. You [the board] need full legal representation. If you want to dismiss Joe you’re going to have two law firms working together as a transition for months. We had Joe Holland working with Kristin Frye for a year and a half during that transition.”
Joe Holland: “The counsel serves at the pleasure of the board.”
Janet Godwin: “Decide on the evaluation process. Continue with Holland.”
Janet: “I move we appoint Joe Holland as counsel and complete an evaluation process.”
Everyone but Phil Hemingway voted yes. Phil voted no.
I can see why Phil voted no. It’s unprofessional to name defendants you have represented as an attorney. Joe Holland named both Phil Hemingway and Chris Liebig publicly. Not only that, but he named the complaint against them, an alleged violation of the open meetings law. That was political payback. What about attorney-client privilege? I think this is why the board needs its own legal representation.
I also think one huge mistake, which was Joe Holland’s bad legal advice on the democratic process, which was that a valid petition "'cannot be lawfully be submitted to the voters'" is an offense worth being fired for.
Tyler JettUnited Auto Workers members at Case-New Holland Industrial's Burlington factory received calls and texts Monday morning, ordering them ba...
United Auto Workers members at Case-New Holland Industrial's Burlington factory received calls and texts Monday morning, ordering them back to work beginning next week.
The messages are one of the final steps to close a strike that lasted eight months, the longest-running major work stoppage in Iowa in 12 years. The union's vote Saturday to end the strike capped a hostile standoff between the UAW and the Italian-owned implement manufacturer, a fight in which union leaders say they rejected dozens offers before even taking a contract to members.
The latest proposal passed with 62% of the vote between the two groups on strike, UAW Local 807 at CNH's Burlington plant and the larger UAW Local 180 at its plant in Racine, Wisconsin.
The outcome showed a significant shift in member sentiment from the previous contract vote Jan. 7, when only 45% of strikers approved a proposal from CNH. The swing over the last two weeks came even as multiple members said the actual offer from the company barely budged.
Previously:8-month strike continues for Case New Holland workers in Iowa, Wisconsin
Multiple workers say they received letters from the company Jan. 17, informing them that managers would hire permanent replacements if the union didn't vote to ratify an agreement by Jan. 23.
If a company hires permanent replacements, it doesn't have to immediately re-hire every union member once the strike ends. The company merely has to place those workers on a striker recall list. The company then has to offer those workers jobs as positions become open.
More:Striking Ingredion workers in Iowa approve new contract
"If you’re at a plant where there isn’t a lot of turnover, it may be five years before any positions are opened up," said Paul Iverson, a labor law professor at the University of Iowa.
A CNH Industrial spokesperson declined to comment when the Des Moines Register sought confirmation of the permanent replacement threat. The company has operated with temporary replacements since the strike started May 2.
Kim Alber, a paint line employee who has worked at CNH Industrial for 10 years, said many members had stuck with their opposition, despite what the company hyped as a 28% pay bump in its Jan. 7 offer, because it was offering a less generous health insurance plan to new hires.
"That's a lot of money," she said of CNH's offer. "If you just looked at it that way, if you only only looked at the money part of it, that's a good raise."
More:Iowa unemployment rate levels off in December, latest jobs report shows
But by saying on strike, workers said, they preserved their old health insurance plan.
Alber, who is a steward, financial secretary and trustee for Local 807, said that in her case, her annual deductible would have increased to $13,000 from $5,000. The pay hike offered in the early months of the strike ? about 18% over five years, she said ? would not have covered her heftier bills.
"I don't have that kind of money," she said. "Most people I know don't have $13,000."
Under the new agreement, she added, UAW members hired before Sept. 30, 2022, will continue to receive the old health insurance plan. However, she said newer hires must choose from newer, less-generous health care plans.
While the pay CNH was offering didn't improve much from its Jan. 7 offer, 10-year company veteran Tracy Chew said workers were worried about paying looming debts to the government.
Members in Burlington were among the first to benefit from the UAW's increase in strike pay, a weekly rate that increased to $400 from $220 in June. On top of that, many workers picked up part-time jobs.
Between the two streams of income, Chew said, her family received more while out of work than they did before the strike. But there was one big problem for her: She hadn't deducted anything from strike pay for state and federal income taxes.
With the federal payment due April 18, Chew estimated that her family will owe thousands of dollars. She said she's counting on a $4,500 ratification bonus from the company to fill that gap.
"We need to get back to work," she said. "We need to get paid so that we can replace that money we're losing. It was a no-brainer for most of us."
Not counting any overtime, Chew's new wage would still put her below the average manufacturing pay rate in Des Moines County, where CNH's factory is located. The average manufacturing employee in the county earned about $26.28 an hour in 2021 ? about $2.50 more than what Chew said she will earn upon returning to work.
Even so, Alber said CNH eventually would have found enough permanent replacements because workers in the region are desperate for jobs.
"Quite honestly, Case is one of the best-paying jobs in our area," Alber said. "We all kind of felt that if it started getting out that we were turning down that money, people around here that need jobs would start looking for this job. It's good money."
More:Expert: Wells Fargo cut of WDM-based mortgage business will 'come at the cost of jobs'
Craig Bowman, an 11-year employee in the shipping and receiving department, disagreed. He took a job as a forklift repairman based in Davenport during the strike, earning $28 an hour ? $4.23 more than he will get under the new contract with CNH.
Though he wants to work in Burlington so his commute is shorter, he said Monday that he was leaning toward giving up the CNH job. He said his co-workers should be making more than those working for other manufacturers in town. The company reported a $1.78 billion profit in 2021 and paid $188 million in dividends to shareholders.
"The factories down here are making small parts," Bowman said. "We’re making big, heavy machinery. And I don’t think these guys know they’re worth more."
Alber said CNH's pay bump for assemblers created a point of tension among union members before Saturday's vote.
For years, she said, union leaders have unsuccessfully pushed to raise the wages of the company's welders. That effort failed again during this contract. And now, the assemblers are earning as much as the welders ? much to the welders' chagrin.
"Because, obviously, welding is harder," Alber said.
A couple dozen workers employed by staffing agencies have also been on strike, despite the fact that they are not represented by the union. The UAW gave those workers strike pay, anyway. Chew said company representatives agreed to hire back those workers as well, but the union now needs to make sure CNH follows through.
"We want to honor them," she said.
Tyler Jett covers jobs and the economy for the Des Moines Register. Reach him at tjett@registermedia.com, 515-284-8215, or on Twitter at @LetsJett.
Calling for higher pay, about 430 unionized employees are on strike at an Iowa Case New Holland plant in Burlington.After negotiating with the agriculture and construction machinery maker for 2 1/2 months, United Auto Workers leaders called the strike at noon Monday, the largest walkout in Iowa since the ...
Calling for higher pay, about 430 unionized employees are on strike at an Iowa Case New Holland plant in Burlington.
After negotiating with the agriculture and construction machinery maker for 2 1/2 months, United Auto Workers leaders called the strike at noon Monday, the largest walkout in Iowa since the UAW's Deere & Co. employees went on strike last fall.
In addition to the workers at the Burlington factory, about 600 UAW members at a Case New Holland plant in Racine, Wisconsin, also are on strike.
The strike started 36 hours after the last contract between the UAW and Case New Holland Industrial — CNHi, for short — expired Sunday morning. The union and the company extended the old contract on an "hour by hour" basis before the strike.
UAW Vice President Chuck Browning said in a statement that Case New Holland failed to meet the union's requirements. A UAW spokesperson declined to comment on what the union is asking for or how much employees earned per hour under the previous contract.
“Our members at CNHi strike for the ability to earn a decent living, retire with dignity and establish fair work rules,” Browning said. “We stay committed to bargaining until our members' goals are achieved.”
UAW President Ray Curry added in a statement that Case employees worked through the height of the COVID-19 pandemic as the virus spread in 2020.
Case spokesperson Rebecca Fabian called the strike "disappointing."
“The Union’s decision creates high anxiety among our represented employees in Burlington and Racine, as well as our other employees, our customers, and our community," Fabian said in a statement. "We remain committed to reaching an agreement, and we are working to resolve this issue. We will continue to negotiate in good faith and trust that the Union will do the same.”
A look back at the Deere strike:John Deere employees approve third contract proposal, ending their five-week strike
The UAW's strike comes after union members struck Deere & Co. for a little more than a month last fall, winning a 10% hourly wage hike and the preservation of the pension program that executives planned to cut.
Browning, who leads negotiations with agricultural implement manufacturers for the UAW, does not have as much firepower behind him this time. The UAW represented about 10,000 Deere workers — about 10 times the size of the union workforce in the strike at Case New Holland.
The Burlington employees make backhoe loaders and forklift trucks, while the Wisconsin workers make tractors and transmission systems.
As with Deere, the strike comes as Case New Holland celebrates a strong year. With high corn and soybean prices, as well as increased construction demand because of the federal government's COVID-19 relief spending, it reported a $1.76 billion profit in 2021 — a 21% improvement over its pre-pandemic performance in 2019.
With the money flowing, it spent heavily to lure a new chief executive. Scott Wine, who left his post atop Polaris to become Case New Holland's new CEO in January 2021, received $17.4 million last year. That is well above the $2.5 million and $1.8 million that the company paid its previous CEO in 2019 and 2020, respectively.
Wine's first year of pay included several bonuses, including a signing bonus of $1.6 million, a performance bonus of $5.1 million and three installment payments that will total $7.6 million.
Looking back at the Deere strike:Timeline shows key dates in the John Deere strike
The strike also comes at a time when the union members' wages don't go as far as they used to. Core inflation — prices for goods other than food and energy — was up about 6% in March compared to the same time last year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
In turn, wages for workers have been rising. The average agriculture, construction and mining machinery manufacturing employee in the United States made about $1,248 a week as of February. That's up about $86 — or 7% — from the same time last year.
But unionized workers at manufacturers like Case New Holland often don't see wage increases until they negotiate a new contract.
UAW Local 807 President Nick Guernsey, who represents workers at the Iowa factory, told the Burlington Hawkeye that an assembler's starting hourly wage under the most recent agreement was $20.89. That is $1.24 less per hour than the starting wage for the lowest-level unionized Deere employees, according to the contract members approved in November.
Guernsey said starting wages for workers at some non-unionized Case New Holland factories are $5.50 per hour higher than those at the Burlington factory. He said the union is looking to increase wages by at least that much.
"Bread, milk, gas is going through the roof," he said. "Everything's going up — everything but our wages."
Guernsey added that, last month, he thought the two sides would reach an agreement before the union called a strike. But over the weekend, he said the company bused in non-union workers.
"I'm not really sure where the fallback came," he said.
Fabian, the Case New Holland spokesperson, declined to comment on the details of the negotiation or if the company has brought in replacement workers.
Before the pandemic, strikes of this scope were rare in Iowa. The Deere strike is the largest on record in the state, according to statistics that stretch to 1993. Previous major work stoppages include strikes of 1,600 workers at the now-defunct Maytag Corp. in 2001 and 2004. About 1,200 United Brotherhood of Carpenters members went on strike for four days in Iowa in 2001.
In February, about 400 employees at defense contractor Eaton-Cobham Mission Systems went on strike in Davenport for about a month.
More:400-worker strike at Davenport defense contractor ends with 'improved wages'
Also in eastern Iowa, a union warned Sunday that its members will strike ready-mix concrete manufacturer King's Material.
According to a filing with a mediator, Teamsters Locals 238 and 371 represent about 30 employees in Cedar Rapids and Eldridge.
The previous contract, which expired at the end of Saturday, paid workers $22.45 an hour, according to a news release from Teamsters Local 238. Union leaders added that any wage less than $25.70 would represent a decrease in "earning power over the last decade."
"Workers are tired of living paycheck to paycheck in a market that grossly underpays their employees," Teamsters Local 238 Secretary-Treasurer Jesse Case said in a statement. "Wages in the concrete industry in the Cedar Rapids market have remained stagnant for years and quite frankly, I'm surprised the industry has gone this long without a strike."
According to the Quad City Times, King's Material previously locked out four Teamsters members at an Eldridge location when the company and the union reached an impasse on a contract in 2013.
The Teamsters and company managers began negotiating a new agreement March 28.
Hawk Eye reporter Michaele Niehaus contributed to this report. She can be reached at mniehaus@thehawkeye.com.
Tyler Jett covers jobs and the economy for the Des Moines Register. Reach him at tjett@registermedia.com, 515-284-8215, or on Twitter at @LetsJett.
HighlightsIowa became the sixth state to enact a comprehensive consumer privacy law after Gov. Kim Reynolds signed SF 262 into law on March 28, 2023. The Act Relating to Consumer Data Protection uses similar language as the Virginia Consumer Data Protection Law (VCDPA) but removes certain consumer rights and data governance obligations, resulting in a law that is substantively more like the Utah Consumer Privacy Act. The n...
Iowa became the sixth state to enact a comprehensive consumer privacy law after Gov. Kim Reynolds signed SF 262 into law on March 28, 2023. The Act Relating to Consumer Data Protection uses similar language as the Virginia Consumer Data Protection Law (VCDPA) but removes certain consumer rights and data governance obligations, resulting in a law that is substantively more like the Utah Consumer Privacy Act. The new Iowa law takes effect on Jan. 1, 2025.
The following tables compare the Iowa law to the laws of the five other states that have passed comprehensive consumer privacy legislations. A State Consumer Privacy Laws "cheat sheet" is also available for downloading and printing.
The Iowa law is heavily modeled after existing state laws, meaning that organizations already complying with other state laws will likely face little, if any, additional compliance burdens. California continues to remain an outlier in extending rights to workforce members and business-to-business contacts and in containing any sort of private right of action.
Similar to Utah's privacy law, the Iowa law does not have a "right to correct," and a consumer's right to delete is limited to the data the organization obtained from the consumer. Iowa also follows Utah in its approach to children's data – a controller cannot process such data unless it complies with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), 15 U.S.C. Section 6501 et seq. – which creates a significant gray area since COPPA applies only to personal information collected directly from the child via an online service. The Iowa law does not offer consumers a right to opt out of profiling or other automated decision-making.
Unlike California's and Colorado's laws, the Iowa law does not contain a lot of specificity as to the process for submitting consumer requests. Iowa's new law closely parallels Virginia's and Utah's, although Iowa's expands the timeline to respond to consumer requests from 45 days to 90 days.
Similar to Utah's legislation, the Iowa law is light on internal requirements for the management of data, including that there is explicit purpose of processing limitation or requirement for data minimization. The Iowa law also does not require organizations to conduct data protection assessments.
Iowa follows the trend in providing that violations of its new privacy law will be enforced only by its state attorney general and not civil litigants. Iowa offers time to cure violations, and the 90-day period offered is longer than those of other states. Violations of the law are punishable by civil penalties of up to $7,500 for each violation. California continues to be the only state to allow a private right of action – limited to certain types of data breaches only.
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