Health care wages, the consolidation of nursing homes, and clean water for Nebraska were among the priorities for attendees of this month’s Rural Action Policy Summit in neighboring Iowa.
The meeting also focused on the state’s working families. Rural Democracy Initiative Communications Director Michael Chameides said safe working conditions are near the top of a list of rural concerns.
“And so, we saw this concern for agricultural communities where there can be really harsh conditions for farm workers or for workers who are working in meat processing plants,” said Chameides, “but also other small factories, for people sort of needing a safe work environment.”
Chameides said many Midwesterners are still trying to recover from straight-line winds in 2020 that did $11 billion in damage to the region, including all sectors of the ag industry.
Chameides added that Nebraskans also expressed concern over a trend of closing nursing homes in rural parts of the state, which threatens health care facilities and local economies.
“Some of these facilities are really beloved in those communities,” said Chameides. “In most rural areas, if a nursing home is privatized, there’s not that many other options, or if a nursing home closes – and so, we’re really dependent on the few institutions that exist.”
Nebraska lawmakers are considering raising the minimum wage, which would benefit low-paid workers in the service industry and health care sectors.
