AFL-CIO President Shuler & Labor-Endorsed Candidates Headline Labor Day Events

PHOTO: Singing "Solidarity Forever" at Eastern Maine Labor Council's Labor Day Celebration

The energy and enthusiasm were electric at Labor Day events across the state this past weekend. At events in Jay, Skowhegan, Portland and Brewer, union members and other Mainers turned out for food, inspiring speakers and fun. Workers sang their hearts out with Troy Jackson at a karaoke event in Lewiston and even danced with Troy at a contradance in Orono organized by the University of Maine Graduate Workers (UAW). We were proud to host AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler as well as Machinists International President Brian Bryant and SMART General President Michael Coleman in Maine this Labor Day weekend.

“This Labor Day is more important than ever because we are less than 60 days out from this election in November and there couldn’t be more on the line,” said Shuler. “This election is going to determine the future of working families so we need to get out there and vote and vote early.”

At the Troy Jackson Contra Dance in Orono Saturday.

Labor Day events also featured labor endorsed candidates Troy Jackson for U.S. Senate, Hannah Pingree for Governor and Matt Dunlap for U.S. Congress. In their speeches, the three candidates were laser focused on lowering the cost of living, especially by making housing and health care more affordable for working-class families. Both Jackson and Dunlap emphasized their support for Medicare for All to fix our health care system and protect rural medical providers at the Eastern Maine Labor Council’s Labor Day barbecue in Brewer.

“I want to get healthcare done. For all my life and for probably everybody here’s life, we’ve been told that we can’t have Medicare for All because it’s too costly, it’s too hard to do. I don’t agree with that at all,” said Jackson. “Making it easier for everyday people to live here, call it affordability, call it whatever, I think it’s just common sense.”

“It’s time to start talking about some uniform, universal healthcare system. Like a Medicare for all system. We’re the only industrialized country in the world that doesn’t have it, and I know way too many people that live in fear of a medical crisis sending the family into bankruptcy, and it’s real,” Dunlap said.

“The two issues I talk most about are access to housing that people can afford, also helping people stay in their homes,” Pingree told WABI at the Labor Day barbecue in Brewer. “Property taxes, utility bills, and healthcare. Having healthcare that you can afford, having healthcare in a rural area, being able to have a baby if you live in a rural area. These are the things that allow Maine to grow, they allow young people to stay here, but also our seniors to stay comfortable.”

PHOTO: AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler, Maine AFL-CIO President Cynthia Phinney and IAM Union President Brian Bryant knocking on doors talking to union members about Troy Jackson, Hannah Pingree and Matt Dunlap.

Jackson Announces “Pledge to Working Mainers”

At the annual Southern Maine Labor Council Breakfast in Portland Troy Jackson announced his Pledge to Working Mainers, and Hannah Pingree, Democratic nominee for governor, SMART General President Michael Coleman, Southern Maine Labor Council President Jason Shedlock and Matt Schlobohm, Executive Director, Maine AFL-CIO also delivered remarks.

“It’s time your hard work pays off. A union if you want one. A secure retirement. And a government that answers to you instead of billionaires and corporations,” said Jackson. “I don’t think Washington needs another senator telling working people why we can’t do better. I think it needs a hell of a lot more people willing to stand up and fight until we do. So today, here with the people I’ve fought alongside for years, I want to make a pledge to working Mainers about exactly what I’m going to fight for in the United States Senate. And you can hold me to it."

For the past year, unions across Maine have engaged thousands of workers about the top issues we face and the solutions we want to fight for. Through an intensive, member-based process, the Maine AFL-CIO ratified its policy platform, ‘the Contract with Maine’s Working Class.’ The worker-developed Contract addresses healthcare, housing, wages, childcare, groceries, energy costs, worker protections, workforce development, caregiving and artificial intelligence across the state.

“Over the past year, thousands of working people across the state talked to us about what is making it harder to build a good life in Maine, and what they expect elected leaders to do about it,”said Matt Schlobohm, Executive Director of the Maine AFL-CIO. “The Contract with Maine’s Working Class turns those conversations into a clear public agenda written by workers, for workers. Today, Troy Jackson pledged to carry those priorities to Washington. Now, we’re going to take the Contract back to working Mainers, organize around the agenda they built and mobilize voters ahead of November.”