Labor Legislative Victories - Key Labor Bills Advance & Become Law
It’s been a great week for working people in Maine as several important pro-labor laws have become law thanks to the hard work of both rank and file union members and our fellow union members serving in Augusta. We want to extend a special thanks to Senate President Troy Jackson (IAM/IUPAT/UAW 2320) and House Speaker Ryan Fecteau (CWA 2336) for their strong leadership on pro-worker bills and working very hard to make sure that labor priorities were funded.
The victories we have won this week — and those likely to happen in the coming days — illustrate why having pro-labor union members serving in the elected office makes a huge difference.
LD 1969, Rep. Scott Cuddy’s (IBEW 1253) bill to create good quality clean energy jobs and advance equity in the renewable energy sector became law this week. The new law, which will take effect in January 2023, requires contractors on large, utility-scale renewable energy projects to pay prevailing wages; builds out a pre-apprenticeship program to prepare workers for direct entry into registered apprenticeship programs; and encourages the use of Project Labor Agreements on projects when Maine procures energy.
LD 1816, our bill to strengthen labor education in Maine sponsored by Speaker Ryan Fecteau, was funded and received final House and Senate passage. The bill is on the Governor's desk and we anticipate that it will be signed into law. The bill will establish and fund a new Labor education center at USM and will increase the capacity of the Bureau of Labor Education.
LD 575, sponsored by Senator Troy Jackson, has passed the House and Senate and gone to the Governor’s desk. This bill would support corrections workers at state prisons and jails who contract hypertension or heart disease as a result of their work. LD 575 would provide what is known as a “rebuttable presumption,” which means that if a corrections officer contracts a heart disease or hypertension, it likely happened as a result of their employment for purposes of qualifying for workers compensation, unless proven otherwise. If enacted, this would be a big win for AFSCME Council 93 members who have been fighting for years to pass this law.
LD 1724, sponsored by Senator Troy Jackson, a bill to create a tripartite logging dispute resolution board where loggers could resolve labor and employment issues, became law this week! The Machinists union worked hard to pass this bill as part of their efforts to organize loggers and haulers.
LD 177, sponsored by Rep. Scott Cuddy, strengthens apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship programs by providing $300,000 in ongoing funding and reimbursements. The bill was funded and is on the Governor's desk. We anticipate the Governor will sign it into law. This bill is critical to opening up more opportunities for union careers.