(Radio Iowa) – Nearly a thousand people have gotten layoff notices this week from companies in Amana, Decorah and Dubuque. Democrats in the Iowa House say it’s time to extend unemployment compensation for Iowans who lose their jobs. Three years ago, Republican lawmakers reduced the maximum number of weeks Iowans may file for unemployment from 26 weeks to 16 weeks.

Representative Jeff Cooling, a Democrat from Cedar Rapids, is president of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 405.  “We now have this economy that’s in turmoil and it’s time to restore those weeks that were cut,” Cooling said. Representative Dan Gosa, a Democrat from Davenport, says hundreds of John Deere workers who’ve been laid off need more than the current 16 weeks of jobless benefits. “We’ve really got to work hard to get that 26 weeks back,” Gosa said. “Our workers and working families directly rely on that.”

Republicans hold over two-thirds of the seats in the Iowa legislature and House Speaker Pat Grassley says Republicans have no plans to adjust unemployment benefits. “Keep in mind when we made the last change to unemployment and the number of weeks there’s been significant efforts made at Workforce Development to make sure we’re getting people back to work,” Grassley says. “…We’re hopeful that we can get these Iowans that are being impacted, regardless of the reason, back with gainful employment.”

Governor Reynolds says there’s about two BILLION dollars in the state’s Unemployment Trust Fund — a record high — and she’s called on the legislature to reduce the tax Iowa businesses pay into the fund, which the source tapped to pay unemployment benefits.

The Iowa Workforce Development’s website shows that on June 1st, 651 workers at Whirlpool in Amana will be laid off. At the end of June, A-S-M Global — the management company for Dubuque’s Five Flags Center — plans to lay off 160 employees. Sodexo — a food management company in Decorah — has announced it will close June 30th and 130 people will lose their jobs.