Firefighters, dispatchers, bus drivers and teachers testified in strong support of LD 1177, which would have leveled the playing field for public sector workers in contract negotiations. Currently, if workers and management can’t reach a contract, there is a process of mediation, fact-finding and then arbitration. But arbitration is not binding on wages, insurance and retirement. This stacks the table against working people and makes it harder to improve staffing and the services we all rely on. LD 1177 would have fixed the power imbalance by making arbitration binding on wages, insurance and retirement. Unfortunately, Governor Janet Mills vetoed this priority bill.

Prevailing wage laws ensure a basic wage standard on publicly funded construction projects. These laws ensure that state, municipal and federal governments, as major purchasers of construction services, do not depress wages. LD 1658 will close a loophole that has allowed public school construction to escape prevailing wage requirements. Under LD 1658, municipal projects receiving $50,000 or more in state funds must pay the prevailing wage.

For decades, loggers and wood haulers have been at the mercy of powerful timber companies that force them to work extremely long hours, often for low pay and no benefits. As so-called “independent contractors,” loggers have been prohibited under anti-trust laws from banding together to bargain collectively. LD 1459 will allow loggers to form cooperatives and demand better wages and working conditions. The loggers and haulers who led this effort are organizing the New England Loggers Cooperative with the Machinists Union.

Climate change poses an existential threat to all that we care about. The labor movement needs to craft solutions to the climate crisis that tackle inequality and create millions of high-quality jobs. Ironworkers 7, IBEW 1253 & 567, the Maine Building Trades and the Maine AFL-CIO testified in support of LD 1282. The bill will create good paying jobs and a well-trained green energy workforce by requiring the use of registered apprenticeship programs on large scale energy projects.

So called “right-to-work” laws are designed to weaken unions, drive down wages and allow workers to get the benefits of unions without paying dues. Currently in Maine in the private sector, unions and employers can negotiate contracts where all workers who benefit from a collective bargaining agreement share in the costs of bargaining and representation. LD 1232 would have made it illegal for employers and employees to agree that all workers who benefit from a collective bargaining agreement share in the costs.

This law would explicitly permit local governments and state agencies to require project labor agreements (PLAs) for public works projects if they are in the public’s interest. A PLA is a pre-hire, project wide negotiated agreement that establishes wages and work rules for all contractors and construction workers on a project. This business model is typically used for more complex, time sensitive projects to ensure they are done on time and on budget with the highest quality of work that pays living wages with benefits.

Under current law, teachers are prohibited from negotiating anything related to “educational policy.” This means that teachers cannot legally bargain over critical issues such as planning and preparation periods, teacher transfers and workload. LD 240 would have modified the law by giving teachers the right to negotiate over planning and preparation time.

When Verizon sold its landline assets to Fairpoint Communications in 2008, many critics expressed concern that such a small, undercapitalized company was not equipped to deliver quality service to its customers. The company went through bankruptcy, disrupted service and provoked a 131 day strike of its longtime employees. If there was a better standard for approving such sales, perhaps Maine could have gotten a better deal. LD 1560 will strengthen that standard for approving approving utility reorganizations by requiring that these purchases meet a “net benefit” standard by showing that the benefits outweigh the costs and ratepayers should see a positive benefit.

This law will provide earned time off for 139,000 workers who don’t currently have the benefit. LD 369, which was originally proposed as an earned sick leave bill, was amended to require employers with more than ten employees to provide earned time off. Under the new law, these workers will accrue one hour of time off for every 40 hours worked after working for the same employer for 120 days.

This law improves the Retired County and Municipal Law Enforcement Officers and Municipal Firefighters Health Insurance Program, which supports healthcare coverage for retired law enforcement officers and firefighters who meet certain eligibility criteria. LD 1674 increases the state share of the premium subsidy for enrollees from 45% to 55%, requires that new employees be notified about the program and makes it easier to enroll in the program.

As of 2013, the poverty rate for African Americans in Maine was over 50%, which was the highest in the nation, while one third of indigenous Mainers lived in poverty. Up until this year, the state has never attempted to understand why these alarming racial and ethnic disparities exist. LD 777 will establish the Permanent Commission on the Status of Racial, Indigenous and Maine Tribal Populations to examine how state policies affect economic disparities in communities of color and then advocate for policies that address the root causes of the problem.

Employers commit wage theft by refusing to pay the minimum wage and overtime, misclassifying workers, not providing pay on time or forcing people to work off the clock. Unfortunately, the Maine Department of Labor has only five staff to investigate and enforce wage and hour laws covering more than 600,000 workers and more than 50,000 businesses. LD 1524 would protect workers from wage theft by providing them with stronger legal remedies.