A controversial labor bill failed in the Iowa House on Monday, 67 hours after legislative leaders first sought lawmakers' votes on the issue.

The bill setting standards for minimum pay and benefits on government projects failed to reach 51 votes, even through Gov. Chet Culver spoke personally with some of the Democratic lawmakers who strayed from the party position.

Democratic leaders stood vigil all weekend, keeping the House voting machine open from about 6 p.m. Friday until 1 p.m. Monday, hoping to round up enough votes to pass the bill.


Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, D-Des Moines, called on Monday for the bill to be reconsidered later this session. He first changed his vote to "no" so that he would be eligible to seek reconsideration. The final vote was 49-49.

Two lawmakers were absent: Rep. Royd Chambers, R-Sheldon, is deployed overseas with the Iowa Air National Guard; Rep. Geri Huser, D-Altoona, was vacationing in Florida.

McCarthy, asked whether there was tension among his members over the failed vote, said his party was continuing to work together.

"I wouldn't say there's tension. Look, this job is stressful, but if you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen," McCarthy said.

Democrats argued that House File 333, better known as "prevailing wage," would create safer work conditions and help block contractors or subcontractors from hiring cheap labor, such as illegal immigrants, to undercut businesses that provide workers with good wages and benefits.

No Republicans voted for the bill, and GOP leaders expressed satisfaction with Monday's final vote.

"I'm pleased the will of Iowans triumphed and sank House File 333, which would have raised property taxes, hurt disaster victims and put small-town contractors out of business," said House Minority Leader Kraig Paulsen, R-Hiawatha.

House Democrats last week tried unsuccessfully to get the bill approved, even holding an unusual Friday session. When the vote was counted about 6 p.m., however, there were only 50 in favor, one short of the majority.

In a rare move, Democratic leaders decided to allow voting to continue until Monday. They hoped to persuade at least one of the five Democrats who voted no to reconsider. Huser was absent but had said she would not support the bill.

Paulsen said the other union bills being considered this year would probably be as controversial and tougher to pass. He speculated that those ideas were in trouble.

Republicans are largely against the other labor bills and prefer that the Legislature stay focused on budget and flood recovery issues, he said.

Other proposals would expand unions' bargaining power, allow unions to charge nonunion members a fee, and let injured workers instead of employers choose their doctors.

"Anything that's controversial, I think, will be difficult but not impossible to pass," said Speaker Pro Tem Polly Bukta, D-Clinton.

But McCarthy and House Speaker Pat Murphy, D-Dubuque, said many of the other labor bills were still alive.

In addition, they said they would keep working on the prevailing-wage issue in hopes of gaining additional Democratic support for House File 333.

Culver issued a statement Friday in support of the prevailing-wage bill. Murphy said the governor made calls during the weekend to some Democrats who voted against the bill.

"He did give 100 percent on this one," Murphy said.

Iowa is expected to invest hundreds of millions of dollars in flood and tornado recovery projects this year. Those efforts create additional need for stronger labor laws, Murphy added.

"The bottom line is, I believe in the bill. I believe we need to pay Iowans good, living wages," he said.


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