The bill that would give teachers the right to strike and allow binding arbitration around wages and benefits – actions now prohibited under Maine law in the best interest of students and taxpayers – was voted out of the Labor Committee yesterday and is on its way to the full Legislature for a vote.
We need you to call or email your local Representatives and Senators and ask them to oppose L.D. 677 on behalf of their students and property taxpayers. For legislator contact information, click below:
This bill does two very damaging things:
• It betrays local property taxpayers by taking the determination of wages and benefits out of the hands of locally elected School Boards and puts them under the control of an outside arbitrator.
• This affront is occurring even as we raised starting salaries for teachers through a bill passed in 2019. It requires a ramp up to $40,000 – a base that impacts wages throughout the scale.
• It also betrays our students, by allowing teachers to strike. L.D. 677 says teachers can walk off the job, leaving students and parents stranded. We don’t believe our teachers want that.
Urgent action is needed.