Jackson presents legislation to allow loggers, haulers the right to form a cooperative
AUGUSTA — Legislation from Senate President Troy Jackson, D-Allagash, to allow loggers and wood haulers to form cooperatives and demand better wages and working conditions, received a public hearing before the Legislature’s Labor and Housing Committee on Monday.
The bill – LD 1459, “An Act To Expand Application of the Maine Agricultural Marketing and Bargaining Act of 1973 to Harvesters and Haulers of Forest Products” – would provide loggers and haulers the same collective bargaining rights as potato farmers and lobster fisherman, who have been given anti-trust exemptions to form their own cooperatives.
“This is about justice for Maine loggers and wood haulers, who have been used and abused for generations,” said President Jackson. “For too long, loggers and wood haulers have had no ability to negotiate, stand up for themselves and demand better conditions. Today, we’re fighting to change that. LD 1459 will help rectify this wrong.”
Logging consistently ranks as one of the most dangerous occupations in America. Loggers and wood haulers typically work extremely long hours for low pay and no benefits. Under current law, loggers and wood haulers do not have the ability to band together to negotiate for fair wages, safer work conditions and better hours.
Maine has made exemptions for Maine potato farmers, fishermen and lobstermen. The Maine Uniform Agricultural Cooperative Association Act was designed to allow agricultural producers to join associations to improve conditions and promote policies that benefit the industry. This bill extends the act to include loggers and wood haulers. Six other states – West Virginia, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and California – have forestry exemptions to protect loggers and wood haulers.
“All we are asking for is fair wages and safe work conditions. Without the ability to band together, wealthy landowners have complete power over our livelihoods and our future. And they’ve used this to their advantage, exploiting us at every turn. Even today the landowners were taking down names of loggers who testified,” said President Jackson. “This bill is designed to try and give people the opportunity to not get crushed whenever they speak out or stand up for themselves. It’s designed to give loggers and haulers a voice in their own lives.”
Ninety-five percent of Maine’s forest is privately owned. Private companies own 61 percent of that land, while family forestland owners hold title to another 33 percent. This gives a lot of authority to landowners over the roughly 24,000 workers in an industry that contributes $1.8 billion to Maine’s economy annually.
LD 1459 faces additional work sessions in committee.
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