As an Iowa state representative, Ashley Hinson voted on February 16, 2017 for House File 291 (House Journal), which limits most Iowa public workers' union bargaining to base wages and took health insurance or other benefits off the table; the Iowa Supreme Court upheld it in 2019.
In Congress, Hinson voted against the December 2025 bill to overturn the executive order that strips union rights from roughly 1 million federal employees, and voted against the June 2026 Faster Labor Contracts Act, which would speed up first contracts for new unions. Both passed the House over her vote and have not become law.
Ashley Hinson's Votes on Union Rights and Bargaining
- Hinson Voted in 2017 to Limit Most Iowa Public Workers' Bargaining to Base Wages. On February 16, 2017, as an Iowa state representative, Ashley Hinson voted for House File 291, which passed the Iowa House 53 to 47 with her among the ayes. The law limits most public-sector union contract negotiations to base wages only, while removing health insurance and supplemental pay as mandatory subjects of bargaining. The old law had allowed about 184,000 public-sector workers for the state, counties, cities and school districts to bargain over wages and benefits, The Gazette reported. The new law also requires unions to recertify before bargaining on each new contract, and the Iowa Supreme Court upheld the law in May 2019.
- Hinson Voted Against Restoring Federal Workers' Union Rights in December 2025. On December 11, 2025, Hinson voted no on the Protect America's Workforce Act, which passed the House 231 to 195, after voting against the discharge motion and the rule that brought it to the floor. The bill would overturn the executive order that strips collective bargaining rights for roughly 1 million federal employees; it has not become law, and the order remains largely in force. In August 2026, Gallup found that 71% of Americans approve of labor unions.
- Hinson Voted Against Faster First Contracts for New Unions in June 2026. On June 9, 2026, Hinson voted no on the Faster Labor Contracts Act, which passed the House 230 to 193, after voting against the discharge motion that forced the vote. The bill would require bargaining to start soon after workers win a union election and allow federal mediators to get involved if a deal is not reached within 90 days, followed by arbitration. The bill has not become law. Today it takes an average of 465 days, according to Bloomberg Law, for a newly organized union to reach a first contract.
What the Bargaining Limits Ashley Hinson Voted For Mean for Iowa Workers
- Federal workers. Iowa lost more than 15% of its federal employees between September 2024 and May 2026, with losses driven by the Veterans Health Administration and USDA agencies, the Partnership for Public Service found.
Frequently Asked Questions About Ashley Hinson on Labor and wages
What is Ashley Hinson's record on labor and wages under Trump?
Ashley Hinson of Iowa voted in December 2025 against restoring federal workers' union rights and in June 2026 against the Faster Labor Contracts Act, both of which passed the House over her vote and have not become law. As an Iowa state representative in 2017, she voted for the law that limits most public-sector union contract negotiations to base wages only.
Did Ashley Hinson vote for Iowa's 2017 collective bargaining law?
Yes. Ashley Hinson voted for House File 291 on February 16, 2017, when it passed the Iowa House 53 to 47. The Iowa Supreme Court upheld the law in 2019; in dissent, Chief Justice Mark Cady wrote that it violates equal protection because some types of public employees are given different treatment.
Does Ashley Hinson support union rights for federal workers?
Ashley Hinson voted on December 11, 2025 against the bill to restore collective bargaining for federal workers, and the Iowa Capital Dispatch reported that Ashley Hinson and Mariannette Miller-Meeks voted against both the bill and the discharge petition. The Veterans Affairs department had used the order to end union contracts for most VA bargaining-unit employees in August 2025.
Last updated: 2026-10-25