Advocates call for Maine’s $139M surplus to be invested in housing, other critical needs

Last week, MECEP released its annual “State of Working Maine” report that details how a lack of childcare, healthcare, support for immigrants and decades of under-production of […]

Beacon

Posted November 29, 2023

Tags Budget, Child Care, Economic Security, Economy, Housing, Job Quality, Jobs

Jobs and Income, Maine’s Economy

Report: Childcare, housing shortages preventing Maine jobs from being filled

A new report shows how a lack of childcare, healthcare, affordable housing, and support for immigrants is exacerbating Maine’s labor market crunch. Policymakers have long seen a demographic problem […]

Beacon

Posted November 29, 2023

Tags Child Care, Economic Security, Economy, Employment, Housing

Jobs and Income

Union organizing is way up — but it’s not rising as fast as non-union job creation

A new report by the Maine Center for Economic Policy (MECEP) about the state of labor organizing in Maine and around the country argues that both state and federal […]

Beacon

Posted September 18, 2023

Tags Unions

Education, Taxes and Budget

Golden’s ‘Blue Dogs’ get money from Sallie Mae after opposing student debt relief

It’s unclear how Golden defines working class, however, as 92,000 of his Second District constituents would be eligible under Biden’s plan. As Beacon previously reported, about 33% of managerial and professional households in […]

Beacon

Posted August 18, 2023

Tags Student Debt

Taxes and Budget

Workers made big gains this session, but some important policies were deferred

“I think paid family leave is definitely one of the biggest wins for workers and it will make a huge difference for many people,” said James Myall, […]

Beacon

Posted July 20, 2023

Tags Budget, Job Quality, Jobs, Paid Family and Medical Leave

Jobs and Income

‘Embarrassing and shameful’: Advocates blast Mills’ veto of farmworker rights bill

“Continuing the current system of sub-minimum wages for farmworkers means that about one quarter of Maine’s agricultural workers will continue to live in poverty,” said Arthur Phillips, […]

Beacon

Posted July 20, 2023

Tags Incomes, Inequality, Job Quality, Jobs, Minimum Wage, Racial Equity, Wages

Jobs and Income

Budget committee funds bills to increase paltry legislator pay, implement drug policy reforms

While LD 1155 was approved by AFA, a number of workers rights-related reforms failed to receive funding. One such measure was LD 1376, a bill to increase the state’s […]

Beacon

Posted July 13, 2023

Tags Health Care, Incomes, Job Quality, Jobs

Jobs and Income

Maine nears making farmworkers eligible for minimum wage

“Workers in Maine’s agriculture industry, disproportionately Black, Latino, and Indigenous Mainers, have been subject to exemptions from basic labor laws that make them much more likely to […]

Beacon

Posted July 10, 2023

Tags Immigration, Job Quality, Jobs, Minimum Wage, Racial Equity

Health Care, Taxes and Budget

Campaign to extend MaineCare coverage to all eligible noncitizens vows to fight on

“Maine should be a place where all of us, regardless of background or origin, can get health care when we need it. Unfortunately, this week the Maine […]

Beacon

Posted June 28, 2023

Tags Health Care, Immigration, Medicaid

Jobs and Income

Maine could join growing list of states with a $15 minimum wage — unless Mills objects

Some economists have argued that raising the state’s current minimum wage of $13.80 to $15 would create a meaningful increase to workers’ paychecks and help many working […]

Beacon

Posted June 14, 2023

Tags Incomes, Job Quality, Jobs, Minimum Wage

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Advocates call for Maine’s $139M surplus to be invested in housing, other critical needs

Report: Childcare, housing shortages preventing Maine jobs from being filled

Union organizing is way up — but it’s not rising as fast as non-union job creation

Golden’s ‘Blue Dogs’ get money from Sallie Mae after opposing student debt relief

Workers made big gains this session, but some important policies were deferred

‘Embarrassing and shameful’: Advocates blast Mills’ veto of farmworker rights bill

Budget committee funds bills to increase paltry legislator pay, implement drug policy reforms

Maine nears making farmworkers eligible for minimum wage

Campaign to extend MaineCare coverage to all eligible noncitizens vows to fight on

Maine could join growing list of states with a $15 minimum wage — unless Mills objects