by Félix Pérez

UPDATE: This afternoon (Thursday, 2/16) Iowa’s Republican Senate and House majority sided with the deep-pocketed Koch brothers and ALEC, voting to pass a bill that strips educators, nurses, firefighters and other public service workers of their right to negotiate collectively for better learning environments for students, better working conditions and the ability to earn a living that supports their families.

The vote came despite widespread opposition. More than a thousand Iowans rallied on the state Capitol grounds on Monday to protest the bill and several hundred testified and packed legislative debate sessions.