IN THIS EDITION:
- Laid Off Workers Call on Senators to Extend Unemployment Benefits
- Maine AFL-CIO Endorsed Candidates Win Primary Elections
- Union Members Show Up to Support Local S6 Brothers & Sisters
- Machinists Union to Hold Guide Dog Charity Golf Tournament — Aug. 21
- EMLC Delivers “COVID Solidarity Response” Meals to Frontline Workers
Laid Off Workers Call on Senators to Extend Unemployment

Machinists Local S6 member Jake and Jennifer Frost with their children Kenneth and Reagan.
Last week, unemployed workers and small business owners met with the staff of Senators Angus King and Susan Collins to urge them to extend the extra $600 in weekly supplemental unemployment assistance that is set to expire on July 25th. The group, which was assembled by the Maine AFL-CIO through our Unemployment Assistance Group, gave heartfelt, impassioned testimonies about how cutting this lifeline it will result in many Maine families becoming severely financially strained or even homeless.
Jennifer Frost of Farmingdale is a therapist in private practice who is out of work due to COVID because she typically works in schools, which closed in March and most children have not been able to adapt to online appointments. Speaking to a Collins staffer on Thursday, Jennifer pointed out that she and her family can normally budget for emergencies, but her husband Jake is on strike with Local S6 at Bath Iron Works, so they are temporarily dependent on her income from unemployment.
“This $600 a week is the difference between being able to afford our daily living expenses and staying in our house,” said Jennifer. “Between losing my husband’s income and health insurance due to the strike and my income due to schools closing down, the $600 is holding us together. I consider us middle class, but at this point we’re really struggling.”
Senator King’s staff said he is supportive of the extension, but Senator Collins says she is concerned that some low wage workers are making a little more than they were in their previous jobs. We urge you to contact Senator Collins and tell her why this extension is important to Maine families.