AUGUSTA, Maine — The Legislature’s Labor Committee has scheduled a last-minute work session for Wednesday on a controversial bill that has been dormant for the entire second session.
LD 309, known as the “fair share” bill, would eliminate the state’s requirement to collect union fees from nonunion public-sector workers.
It has strong support from Gov. Paul LePage but drew significant opposition from unions last session before being tabled by the Legislature. During the same session, the Senate killed a similar proposal, called “right to work,” that deals with private-sector workers.
Union representatives are prepared for another battle this week, although there isn’t much time for the bill to be debated before the session ends. Still, the debate almost certainly will drive another wedge between Republican and Democratic lawmakers in the final days.
State employees are not forced to join a union. However, if they benefit from union negotiations on contracts and in labor disputes, they must pay their “fair share” in fees that are automatically deducted from paychecks. Those fees, typically, are significantly less than standard union dues.
LD 309 would make payment of those service fees voluntary for approximately 2,500 nonunion state employees.
The bill has been sitting on the Labor Committee’s desk all session, but members have avoided it until now. Last week, the Republican leaders of the Labor Committee, Sen. Chris Rector of Thomaston and Rep. Kerri Prescott of Topsham, said they were waiting for GOP leadership to advise them on how to proceed with LD 309.
On Tuesday, they added it to the committee schedule for Wednesday.
The new pressure likely is coming from the governor’s office to pass the bill, but it’s not clear if there is enough support, particularly in an election year.
The LePage administration has not hidden its disdain for organized labor. At the moment, the governor is embroiled in a 12-round battle with the Maine State Employees Association over its failure to agree on a new collective bargaining agreement.
Democrats have long enjoyed support from labor unions, both here in Maine and across the country. The bill is likely to face unanimous opposition from House and Senate Democrats and, if it passes, the minority party would almost certain use that as an issue to run on in November.
Follow BDN reporter Eric Russell on Twitter @BDNPolitics.
Please define “significantly less than union dues” as a former state employee I do not remember the fair share being that much less than full union dues.
Fair share is just over 50% of full union dues
Yup, let’s pass a bill that grants a form welfare to those who don’t want to pay for those who negotiate their contract.
While, we’re at it, to make this fair, we need to adjust whatever other laws are necessary so that those who don’t want to pay for representation must negotiate their contract on their own.
That can’t be done under federal law. Right now the federal law says if there is a union in the work place that they still half to represent them . The only way out is the federal law would half to be changed . The state of maine would half to do away with the law that says equal pay for equal work to . If they negotiate there own contracts they better make sure they think of every thing like say there vacation they could end up with no vacation time of health insurance ect.
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“While, we’re at it, to make this fair, we need to adjust whatever other
laws are necessary so that those who don’t want to pay for
representation must negotiate their contract on their own. ”
That would be fair but the union would never agree to it because it would end the union. Thus the problem with unions. Your free to do what ever we say but nothing else.
The Labor Committee would be wise to put this one back in the closet ! Unless they want to risk sinking the LePage ship even faster ?
We can’t really blame the ALEC/Heritage/TeaParty/Republican goons for trying to foist this unpopular union busting legislation on us one more time. It is central to their out of state corporate special interests agenda and they know it is their last chance before we send them all home in November.
If there are no “fair share fees” to be paid those who benefit from union representation via negotiations of better working conditions will get a great deal for nothing. Unions on the other hand will be fighting for all but only being supported by those who join and pay full dues. So in essence, this rips a good deal of cash out of the hands of unions and automatically weakens them. No surprise that Tea Party Paul likes the sound of that. A secondary blow is struck in that others actually in the union will look at what others are getting for FREE and say, “I might as well drop out and save my money.” Results, union dies. Unions bring up wages for everyone. Why do you think low wage labor hating Tea Party Paul wants to do anything he can to wipe em out? I say those in Labor need to band together to wipe out politicians like LePage with our votes next November.
If you do not want to be in the union you should not have to be. In America you should not have to join anything you do not wish to.
This fee is assessed to those who ARE NOT members of the union.
If you don’t want to pay the fee, then you should also not want to receive overtime pay, weekends, sick time, workman’s comp, safe workplace, etc. Essentially your emplyer should treat you like someone in a textile mill in 1860, before the unions were around. Sound fair?
Right and if they do not wish to pay it and be a member they should not have to. The unions where needed at one time but that was long ago when MR Ford paid you in Ford money you lived in Ford housing and shopped at Ford stores. WE have laws that forbid that kind of thing now. Now the unions are nothing more then a scam. I started a small business built it to 24 trucks I used to get union guys come in all the time wanting to get my drivers to be teamsters. I ALWAYS allowed them to chat with my drivers I even let them put there posters in the break room. In 12 years not one driver ever wanted to join them. Given the CHOICE to be union or not many folks already in one would drop out of it.
It boils down to this the unions while preaching equality and freedom for all say that you must join us and you have no choice. I do nto trust anyone who says I HAVE to join them. If I do not have the choice then I woudl rather make less elsewhere.
The unions and Dems should be prosecuted for RICO and money-laundering crimes.
(Ex-union rep here, by the way).
simple – don’t pay the fee, then you are exempt from all state & federal labor & workplace safety laws, a la chinese sweatshop.
Try it for a week, I bet you’ll gladly go back to paying the fee.