In a party-line vote of 75 to 71, the Maine House voted late this afternoon to reduce unemployment insurance benefits to unemployed job seekers. The Republican-backed bill forces unemployed workers to use up their earned vacation time prior to collecting unemployment insurance and shortens the duration of the benefit.

“This is the money unemployed workers are counting to pay their bills in the worst of times,” said Paul Gilbert of Jay. “We were elected to create jobs not make things harder for the unemployed.”

The measure, LD 1725, delays unemployment benefits and reduces the time frame during which a job seeker is required to widen their job search outside their occupation, wage, or geographic region, from 12 weeks to 10 weeks.

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The Pentagon sent Congress a proposal for two new rounds of base closures this week, but Congresswoman Chellie Pingree said she’s skeptical that the proposed Base Closure and Realignment Commissions (BRAC) would actually save much money.

“We haven’t seen any savings from the last round of BRAC closures so it’s premature to start another round now. And before we even consider closing more bases here in the U.S. we need to take a good, hard look at our overseas facilities,” said Pingree.

Pingree, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, said even if more base closures are planned, she would fight to keep the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard off the list.

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President Obama in Maine, photo by Ramona du Houx

THE PRESIDENT: …But there are also big, fundamental issues at stake right now — issues that deserve serious debate among every candidate, and serious coverage among every reporter. Whoever he may be, the next President will inherit an economy that is recovering, but not yet recovered, from the worst economic calamity since the Great Depression. Too many Americans will still be looking for a job that pays enough to cover their bills or their mortgage. Too many citizens will still lack the sort of financial security that started slipping away years before this recession hit. A debt that has grown over the last decade, primarily as a result of two wars, two massive tax cuts, and an unprecedented financial crisis, will have to be paid down.

In the face of all these challenges, we’re going to have to answer a central question as a nation: What, if anything, can we do to restore a sense of security for people who are willing to work hard and act responsibly in this country? Can we succeed as a country where a shrinking number of people do exceedingly well, while a growing number struggle to get by? Or are we better off when everyone gets a fair shot, and everyone does their fair share, and everyone plays by the same rules?

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The Working Families Caucus called out House Republicans for undermining workers’ rights instead of focusing on creating jobs at a press conference today at the State House. Democrats have a laser focus on creating jobs, investing in public infrastructure and getting the economy moving again. They introduced new proposals today to keep jobs in Maine and invest in roads and bridges.

The call comes just after House Republican voted to strip basic worker rights on the notorious DeCoster egg farm, which is now being leased to Moark, a subsidiary of Land O’Lakes.

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“Repealing these workers collective bargaining rights will not create a single job or do a single thing to improve Maine’s economy or working conditions,” said Don Berry, President of the Maine AFL-CIO

House Democrats today fought against a GOP-backed measure to eliminate collective bargaining rights for agriculture workers at the former DeCoster egg farm. DeCoster has leased the farm to a company owned by the Land O’Lakes agriculture cooperative.

The farm has a history of workplace violations in Maine, and unsanitary conditions in its Iowa facilities were linked to salmonella outbreaks across the country in 2010.

“Is it the company’s intention to start its relationship with the state by revoking worker’s rights,” said Rep. Rob Hunt, D-Buxton, who serves on the Legislature’s Labor, Commerce, Research, and Development Committee. “Let’s not hope they treat workers fairly, let’s make sure they do. Trust in god but lock your car.”

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Injured Maine workers, their families and supporters gathered today in the Hall of Flags to speak out against proposed legislation that would significantly weaken Maine’s Workers Compensation system.

Originally slated to be a public hearing on LD 1571, submitted last session by Rep. Andre Cushing and carried over to this session, the Labor CRED Committee on Friday instead took up consideration of a similar bill to re-vamp the system based on a report by Workers’ Compensation Board Chair Paul Sighinolfi.

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Matt talks about the new coalition that promotes and protects workers and their families courtesy photo

“Today we draw the line,” said Maine Women’s Lobby Director of Public Policy Laura Harper, speaking at a press conference announcing the creation of the Maine Working Families Coalition. “With so many Maine people struggling to make ends meet in the worst recession since the Great Depression, we should be working together to find ways to create jobs – not to punish those who have lost theirs.”

The coalition represents a number of civic, service, religious and business organizations from across the state with the shared goal of a balanced approach to growing Maine’s economy that supports both employers and employees. Coalition members assert that economic security for working families is a necessity for future growth of Maine’s businesses and economy.

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THE PRESIDENT: I could not have enjoyed more the meeting that I had this morning, because what these companies represent is a source of optimism and enormous potential for the future of America. What they have in common is that they’re part of a hopeful trend: They are bringing jobs back to America.

You’ve heard of outsourcing. Well, these companies are insourcing. These companies are choosing to invest in the one country with the most productive workers, the best universities, and the most creative and innovative entrepreneurs in the world, and that is the United States of America. (Applause.) That’s worth applause.

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President Brack Obama’s statement on the stalemate of the inaction of the House of Representatives to take up a bill that would extend unemployment benefits for millions and a pay roll tax cut:

We’ve been doing everything we can over the last few weeks to make sure that 160 million working Americans aren’t hit with a holiday tax increase on January 1st. We’ve also been doing everything we can to make sure that millions of people who are out there looking for work in a very tough environment don’t start losing their unemployment insurance on January 1st.

Now, on Saturday, we reached a bipartisan compromise that would do just that — make sure that people aren’t seeing a tax cut the first of the year; make sure that they still have unemployment insurance the first of the year. Nearly every Democrat in the Senate voted for that compromise. Nearly every Republican in the Senate voted for that compromise. Democrats and even some Republicans in the House voted for that compromise. I am ready to sign that compromise into law the second it lands on my desk.

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Workers carol outside the Governor's residence in Augusta. They were reminding LePage that their contract needs to be finalized after 8 months of negotiations.

“Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way— Workers need a living wage and benefits that stay! Maine workers caroled outside the Blaine House, the residence of Gov. Paul LePage, on December 20,1011.

The state workers wanted to remind the governor that all Maine workers deserve to be treated with respect. Throughout the State of Maine, snowplow drivers, public nurses, public safety workers and other public servants remain without a contract after eight months of bargaining with the LePage administration.

The administration has rejected the workers’ proposals even though they would actually freeze wages for another two years and lower costs for the State of Maine and Maine taxpayers, all while ensuring quality public services for everyone in Maine. The workers are calling on the administration to accept their cost-saving proposals and settle the contract negotiations. Last spring LePage hired a New York City lawyer, at Maine tax payers expense, to come to Maine and resolve the dispute.