Child Care, Captive Audience Ban & Other Pro-Worker Bills Headed to Governor's Desk

PHOTO: Sam McCabe supporting LD 1726 at the State House

Legislative leaders have set a goal to finish their work in the next two weeks, so legislation is moving rapidly through the Maine House and Senate. If bills have a costs - "fiscal notes" - they will go to the Appropriations Committee. For bills the get final passage and funding they are sent to the Governor’s desk. She has ten business days to sign or veto them or they will automatically become law. Below are updates on pro-worker bills we are supporting.

Bill to Provide More Childcare Options Passes House and Senate

The Maine House and Senate have passed a measure that will provide more childcare options and lower child care costs. LD 1726, sponsored by Senate President Troy Jackson, would also increase wages for child care educators to compete with other employers.
 

It would double the monthly child care worker stipend to $400 and increase the child care subsidy’s maximum qualifying income for a family of four from about $84,000 to about $123,600. It would allow more than 1,100 additional Maine families to qualify for a state child care subsidy.
 

The Maine House passed the bill unanimously “under the hammer” and all but one Senator, Sen. Eric Brakey (R-Androggin), voted for it. The measure will soon head to the Appropriations committee where funding will be considered and then potentially onto the Governor’s desk.
 

Legislature Takes Initial Votes in Support of Bill to Crack Down on Employer Intimidation During Union Drives
 

The Maine House and Senate have taken initial votes on largely party lines to support a measure to allow workers to opt out of anti-union “captive audience” meetings. Senator Rick Bennett (R-Oxford Cty) was the sole Republican to support the bill. 
 

LD 1756, sponsored by Sen. Mattie Daughtry (D-Cumberland), would strengthen our Constitutional right to Freedom of Association by prohibiting employers from forcing employees to attend so-called “captive audience” meetings where they are forced during work hours to anti-union talking points, religion or politics unrelated to their jobs. During the public hearing on the bill, workers described how they felt isolated, pressured and manipulated by their employers to vote against forming unions.  See how your legislators voted here.

Legislature Pass Bill to Strengthen Prevailing Wages Law

The Maine House and Senate have passed a bill to strengthen the state’s prevailing law, which sets the minimum wage rates contractors must pay workers on state-funded public works projects of $50,000 or more. LD 1419, Rep. Rebecca Mellett (D-Cape Elizabeth), would help ensure that Maine's prevailing wage rates accurately reflect the wages in an increasingly competitive  labor market for construction. The measure is now awaiting action from the Governor. See how your legislators voted here.

Legislature Passes Bill to Streamline Unemployment for Building Trades Members

The Maine House and Senate have voted on party lines to pass legislation that would cut down on red tape for union building trades workers applying for unemployment after a lay off. LD 1368, sponsored by Rep. Amy Roeder (D-Bangor), will exempt union members from standard unemployment work search requirements if they use a hiring hall for job placements.

Hiring hall unions have the responsibility of providing workers places of employment where the employer has a collective bargaining agreement with the union. Under current law, when building and construction trades workers employed through the hiring hall model become unemployed, they currently have a six-week waiver from the work search requirement in order to receive unemployment.

After six weeks passes, these workers are expected to search for work with employers that do not operate under a hiring hall model. This expectation effectively results in union members who are otherwise eligible for unemployment compensation having to resign — or be terminated — from their unions in the event that suitable work referred by their hiring hail isn’t readily available.

LD 1368 also makes it easier for building trades members to refuse jobs that have substantially fewer fringe benefits than for similar work in the region in determining whether work is suitable for purposes of the unemployment insurance program.

“It is no secret that union jobs often have great benefits,” said Maine AFL-CIO Legislative and Political Director Adam Goode in support of LD 1368. “Expecting that someone accept a job that offers a similar salary, but has far fewer benefits than their prior work is inconsistent with the goals of the suitability requirements of our unemployment insurance system…Voting for LD 1358 will prevent unemployment insurance from accidentally preventing claimants from maintaining membership in bona fide labor organizations.”

The bill is awaiting action by the Governor. See how your legislators voted here.