ANTI-WORKER MEASURES STRONGLY REJECTED BY SENATE

Right-to-work-for-less bill defeated

AUGUSTA–Earlier today, the Maine Senate strongly rejected two anti-worker measures that, if passed, would have weakened and undermined Maine’s economy and workforce. Two years ago, under Republican-control, similar measures were also rejected by the Legislature.

“Right to work was a bad idea in 1948 when Maine voters rejected it by a 2 to 1 margin, and it’s still a bad idea 60 years later,” said Senator John Patrick (D-Rumford), the Senate Chair of the Labor Committee. “I want a Maine that’s progressive not regressive—a Maine that stands up for its workers.”

The first bill, LD 786, a so-called “right to work” measure, was defeated with a tri-partisan vote of 21-13.

According to the Economic Policy Institute, the average worker in states with “right-to-work” laws makes $1,540 a year less, when all other factors are removed, than workers in other states.Additionally, in states with “right to work” laws, 26.7 percent of jobs are in low-wage occupations, compared with 19.5 percent of jobs in other states.

“We need to be putting more money in the pockets of hard working Mainers, not less,” said Assistant Senate Majority Leader Troy Jackson (D-Allagash). “Right to work for less is bad policy and I’m glad we didn’t waste much time on it.”

A second anti-worker measure, LD 831, “An Act To Ensure the Voluntary Membership of Public Employees in Unions,” was also defeated by the Senate by a tri-partisan vote of 21-13.

Both measures received an “ought not to pass” by the majority of the Labor committee.

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