(This is from the CWA District One newsletter)
CWA Local 1400 members in Maine saw a lot of hard organizing and advocacy work pay off last week as Governor Mills signed new legislation into law on May 13th that will increase protections for the state's working people.
The bill was sponsored by Maine House Rep. Michelle Dunphy, a call center worker and CWA Local 1400 member who championed the bill along with Shenna Bellows in the Senate. Local 1400 members advocated for the bill, along with the Maine AFL-CIO, and the Maine People's Alliance.
The bill, which initially covered call center workers and was later expanded to include all businesses with more than 100 employees, will require companies to give more advanced notice to workers when initiating layoffs. This will allow workers, their families, and communities to better prepare for impending layoffs. The bill was passed quickly through both sides of the legislature, with the State House voting 78-50 in favor of it on April 30th, followed by the Senate, which passed it 21-14.
"The passage of LD 201 is great news for working people in Maine," said CWA District 1 Vice President Dennis Trainor. "I congratulate the members of CWA Local 1400 for their persistence in lobbying for this important piece of legislation. When workers stick together we get results!"