AUGUSTA, Maine — A federation of 16 local Maine unions, representing more than 40,000 workers, is supporting a 'right to strike' bill for public workers in the state.
The Maine AFL-CIO stood in solidarity with teachers and other public sector workers on Wednesday at the State House to support their right to go on strike. Under current Maine law, public employees in Maine can be jailed for exercising this right.
The 'Right to Strike' bill, or LD 900, was presented at a public hearing on April 17 in Augusta before the Committee on Labor and Housing. The bill would allow all public employees but public safety employees the ability to strike to achieve their goals.
Rep. Michael Sylvester of Portland is sponsoring the bill. He says it would even the playing field, so both sides can come together to get a better agreement for the workers.
"This bill allows public workers to strike because they have no other mechanism of an equal balance of power at the table," said Sylvester. "Teachers in particular can't bargain about their work issues or environment issues. This bill gives them tools in their tool box to bargain and have a say."
Heather Sinclair is a teacher at Wiscasset Middle School. She came to Augusta to support the bill.
"As a teacher, we joke all the time that we come to work sick because it's easier to work than it is to leave substitute teacher plans. Nobody is going to take striking lightly," said Sinclair. "Nobody ever wants to have to take that step, but having it as a tool in the toolbox, as Rep. Sylvester said outside, would give us a little bit of a stronger voice, and I think that voice is going to help move education policy in the right direction for the whole state."
Opponents of the bill say that kids should not be used as pawns in an effort to reach a resolution.
"We feel that there are ways within the existing legal structure and collective bargaining structure where things can be worked out collaboratively and investors interested both parties. Interests here should be about the students and not about the adults here working with the build," said Steve Bailey, Executive Director at Maine School Boards Association.
There have been high profile strikes around the country recently, including in Los Angeles, where teachers walked out to get smaller classes, more support staff, including nurses and librarians, and increase in teacher pay.