Jobs and Income Janet Mills vetoes bill to cover farmworkers under Maine’s minimum wage The Maine AFL-CIO, a coalition of labor unions, said the veto “carries on the historical stain and stench of exploitation and racial exclusion.” The liberal Maine Center […] Bangor Daily News Posted July 20, 2023 Tags Inequality, Job Quality, Jobs, Minimum Wage, Wages
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 MECEP statement on veto of bill to advance farmworker rights Maine Center for Economic Policy is disappointed at Governor Janet Mills’ decision to veto LD 398, “An Act to Make Agricultural Workers and Other Related Workers Employees […] Posted July 19, 2023 Tags Economic Security, Job Quality, Jobs, Minimum Wage, Overtime, Unions
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
Jobs and Income Wednesday Sit-Down: Expanding workers' rights in Maine Garrett Martin from the Maine Center for Economic Policy sat down with CBS13 to discuss expanding workers’ rights in Maine. Click here to watch the full video, […] Fox 23 Posted June 21, 2023 Tags Job Quality, Jobs, Unions, Wednesday Sit Down
Health Care, Jobs and Income Maine nurses split over whether state mandate of staff ratios would help “Part of that is that health care jobs were extremely stressful – and dangerous – over the past two years, which probably led people to find other […] Portland Press Herald Posted June 18, 2023 Tags Health Care, Job Quality, Jobs
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
Jobs and Income Family friendly policies are the solution to workforce challenges One of the most frequently asked questions we hear at the Maine Center for Economic Policy is how to expand the state’s workforce. One answer: Give workers the […] Bangor Daily News Posted June 11, 2023 Tags Child Care, Direct Care Work, Job Quality, Jobs, Paid Family and Medical Leave