Photo: An actual "wanted poster" former Governor Paul LePage displayed at his public events.
During his four years as Governor, Paul LePage, relentlessly waged a war on workers, eliminated collective bargaining rights, blocked measures to increase the minimum wage from $7.50 an hour, demonized public employees and robbed workers' pensions to give the rich a tax break.
If he is able to win a third term, he will work furiously to undo all of our recent pro-worker gains and continue to push policies to break our unions and destroy the ability of Maine workers to legally organize and fight for better wages, dignity and a seat at the table.
We must not go back. For a refresher, below are some highlights of the LePage administration. As Governor, LePage:
- Supported union-busting “right-to-work” for less legislation that would prohibit companies and workers in unionized shops to negotiate contracts that require all workers to pay the cost of collective bargaining.
- Refused to raise the minimum wage by even 50 cents from $7.50 an hour.
- Vetoed MaineCare expansion seven times and blocked implementation of the voter-approved MaineCare expansion law.
- Robbed the pension of state employees and teachers to pay for tax cuts for the rich.
- Slashed revenue sharing for municipalities, calling it "welfare for communities."
- Prohibited project labor agreements on public works construction projects.
- Repealed collective bargaining rights for workers at the notorious DeCoster egg plant in Turner.
- Repealed health care consumer protections and increased insurance rates for older and rural Mainers
- Gutted workers compensation for severely injured workers.
- Repealed collective bargaining rights for child care workers
- Weakened unemployment to delay UI benefits for any vacation time workers have.
- Supported lowering Maine’s minimum wage from $7.50 to $5.25 an hour for anyone under age 20.
Click here to learn why we are supporting Governor Janet Mills for reelection!
Here are some more details on the anti-labor legislation LePage backed and signed into law:
