AUGUSTA ( AP) — Gov. Paul LePage is asking lawmakers to pass a bill that would repeal a 2008 law that extended the right to unionize to nearly 300 child care providers, even though they are not state workers.
Maine Today Media reports the Republican governor’s legal counsel told lawmakers Monday it’s not fair that some child care providers have the right to unionize, while people in other businesses who receive state subsidies do not.
The Maine State Employees Association, which represents the workers, says the providers need union representation so they can influence decisions on regulations that affect their industry. Unlike hospitals, which have paid lobbyists, these are typically home-based businesses where the owners are the primary workers.
State officials say other industries that receive state subsidies will want the right to unionize.
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