MAINE LABOR LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
February 26, 2007

An Information Service of the

Maine AFL-CIO

www.maineaflcio.org

Please Forward to Maine Working Families

NOTE- Text in blue or red is a direct web link to a full text source

FROM THE PRESIDENT'S DESK


In Congress organized labor is now fighting hard to gain passage of several key pieces of legislation - not only an increase in the minimum wage, but also legislation that would make it easier to organize workers. The AFL-CIO's top five "must do" list for Congress includes a bill that would force employers to recognize a union if a majority of workers sign cards favoring representation. The legislation, called the "Employee Free Choice Act", also increases penalties for employers who violate labor laws.

This legislation never got anywhere under Republicans, but the bill's two main sponsors, Rep. George Miller, D-Calif., and Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., will chair the committees that handle labor issues in the new Congress.

Senator Kennedy said, "In today’s insecure economy, when too many working families are struggling just to make ends meet, it is more important than ever that workers have a voice at work. The Employee Free Choice Act helps workers get their fair share of our nation’s economic growth by supporting the basic right of workers to choose their own representative. It puts real teeth in the law by strengthening the penalties for discrimination against workers who favor a union. And it will allow employees to choose a union when a majority of them sign an authorization designating a union as their bargaining representative."

The Employee Free Choice act also provides for arbitration to settle disputes over first contracts after a workplace is unionized. You can find out more in the material below or follow the current status of this legislation at:

 Momentum Building Across the Nation for Workers’ Freedom to Form Unions

 Pelosi: Employee Free Choice Act a Top Priority

AFL-CIO President John President John Sweeney has asked state federations and central labor councils to make sure endorsed candidates were either already co-sponsors of the Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) or pledged to co-sponsor it if elected. Both Maine Congressmen Tom Allen and Mike Michaud are original co-sponsors of the EFCA.

In the current session of Congress Senator Kennedy is fighting to pass other working family legislation such as raising the minimum wage, promoting paid sick leave, strengthening retirement and worker safety laws. Both Congressmen Allen and Michaud support this ambitious working family agenda.

In Solidarity

Edward Gorham

President

Maine AFL-CIO



LABOR COMMITTEE HEARINGS
The following hearing is the only one currently posted for the Maine Labor Committee for the legislative week beginning February 26. A list of all the legislative committees that have hearings next week is available at:

http://www.mainelegislature.org/legis/lio/maps/csob.asp

LD 375 AN ACT TO AMEND THE MEDICAL LEAVE LAWS

This bill adds domestic partners to the list of family members that employees may use family medical leave to take care of. It also adds a definition for domestic partner.

4. Family medical leave.   "Family medical leave" means leave requested by an employee for:
A.  Serious health condition of the employee;

B.  The birth of the employee's child or the employee's domestic partner's child;

C.  The placement of a child 16 years of age or less with the employee or with the employee's domestic partner in connection with the adoption of the child by the employee or the employee's domestic partner;

D.  A child, domestic partner's child, parent , domestic partner or spouse with a serious health condition; or

E.  The donation of an organ of that employee for a human organ transplant.
 

Editor's Note: If you click on the LD number it will bring up the full text of the proposed legislation. If you click on the location it will bring up a map of the location of the hearing as well as a list of all the Maine Legislative Committees that have hearings next week.

LABOR COMMITTEE MEMBERS
The following legislators are on the Maine Labor Committee. If you click on each name it will bring up complete information about the legislator and how to reach them by telephone, fax, mail and e-mail. It also provides their roll call voting records and a list of bills they have sponsored.

Senator Ethan Strimling (D-Cumberland), Chair

Senator Nancy B. Sullivan (D-York)

Senator Dana L. Dow (R-Lincoln)

Representative John L. Tuttle, Jr. (D-Sanford), Chair

Representative Troy Dale Jackson (D-Allagash)

Representative Herbert E. Clark (D-Millinocket)

Representative Timothy E. Driscoll (D-Westbrook)

Representative Anne M. Haskell (D-Portland)

Representative Richard John Burns (D-Berwick)

Representative Brian M. Duprey (R-Hampden)*

Representative Philip A. Cressey, Jr. (R-Cornish)

Representative Richard M. Sykes (R-Harrison)

Representative Douglas A. Thomas (R-Ripley)

MORE INFORMATION
Employee Free Choice Act

·         Read a one-page summary of the bill. 

·         Check out questions & answers related to card check procedures.

·         View a fact sheet about why workers need card check, a fairer alternative to the way union elections are now run. 

·         View a fact sheet about why workers need mediation and arbitration rules to prevent employers from dragging out contract negotiations.

·         View a fact sheet about how strong penalties will help restore workers’ freedom to form unions.

·         Find out who's co-sponsoring the bill in the House and the Senate.

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Ed Schlick

Editor

ecsme@blazenetme.net