MONDAY, AUG. 7, 2017  |  IN THIS ISSUE 
Para1United Technologies makes bid for Rockwell 
 
United Technologies Corp. has submitted an offer for Rockwell Collins, Reuters reports, setting the stage for what could be one of the industry's largest deals ever. Cedar Rapids-based Rockwell has a market cap of $19.3 billion, and just closed on an $8.6 billion deal for B/E Aerospace; Connecticut-based United Technologies has a cap of nearly $100 billion, and manufactures everything from jet engines to elevators. A deal would give both companies better ability to fight price reductions demanded by Boeing and Airbus, Bloomberg notes. "[United] would be investing in two of the real interesting and hot areas in aircraft today," said one aerospace consultant, referring to Rockwell's in-flight data solutions. "It completes the portfolio and there's very little overlap."
Para2Union recertification process moves forward 
 
Iowa's public sector unions will soon be following a new recertification process under the collective bargaining law that took effect earlier this year, the Register reports. A legislative panel on Friday advanced a new framework for the election process, which is scheduled to begin in September. State employees previously only had to recertify their unions when a member called a vote; they must now vote before each contract negotiation, typically every two or three years. Unions also face a higher bar for recertification under the new rules, the Gazette previously reported.
 
Labor reps protested the speed of the proposed changes, but members of the state's rules committee said there would be one more public hearing on their merit. An estimated 40,000 workers will cast ballots over the next three months, the Register says. 
Para3Treehouse announces layoffs, plant closures       
Private label giant TreeHouse Foods will lay off 375 workers and close two plants in Minnesota and Indiana as it tries to slim down amid changing consumer tastes, the Chicago Tribune reports. The company has more than 50 factories in North America and Europe, including in Cedar Rapids, and employs about 16,000.

No changes are expected here, but those interested in keeping local manufacturing jobs should consider eating more generic oatmeal. Treehouse has struggled as consumers have moved to the edge of the store in search of fresh and convenience foods. The company was a " Wall Street darling" before its latest news, CNBC reports. Shares had risen 17 percent this year amid the broader sector's struggles, but lost nearly 12 percent after its announcement.  
Para4Lake Delhi makes its return
 
A summertime favorite is back after a seven-year absence. Locals and state lawmakers this weekend celebrated the return of Lake Delhi in northeast Iowa, which drained after its dam collapsed following heavy rains in April 2010, WHO-TV reports. It cost $16 million to repair the breached dam, but cost the region $120 million annually in lost revenue while it was out of commission, according to a report. Refilling of the lake began back in June.

"You're going to want to come to the south side of the dam, not only to see the dam and to see the new spillway and to see the lake full." Steve Leonard, president of the Lake Delhi District, told Radio Iowa. He said the weekend's celebration was called the "Dam Right We're Back Bash."
Para5Unlimited time off catching on
 
The concept of unlimited time off is starting to pop up at more companies in the state, the Register reports. Major employers Holmes Murphy and Principal both introduced the benefit within the last year. Both companies report that workers seem to take about the same amount of time off - if not less - under the new system, and that workers love the flexibility. " I do believe it kind of goes back to the whole idea that they're not having to manage to a bank of time," Heidi Buttolph, chief engagement and talent officer with Holmes Murphy, told the Register. "They have this feeling that they're being trusted."
 
The concept can be found in the Corridor as well, with 2016 Coolest Places to Work winner Van Meter offering a similar idea to employees. It's becoming an important recruitment differentiator for companies, as vacation time is the second-most negotiated item when hiring, the Register notes. For more great recruiting ideas, join us for our 2017 Coolest Places to Work Awards on Sept. 14, when we'll unveil and rank our 24 honorees.
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CommuteYour Morning Commute
Construction continues on I-380 in downtown Cedar Rapids just south of the S curve. The Wilson Avenue northbound onramp in downtown Cedar Rapids is also closed until Aug. 18, and construction continues on Dubuque Street on the way into Iowa City. See the DOT's interactive road conditions map here.
Links as of 7 a.m.