State workers in Maine fight against lockout
1991Lisa Hardy 1991-09Read it in the scan (PDF at ETOL), page 7 →
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SOCIALIST ACTION SEPTEMBER 1991 BATH, Maine-On July 1, Republican Gov. John McKernan shut down the state government for lack of a budget. Ten thousand workers were locked out of their jobs, and their paychecks were shut up in a vault.
Months of haggling with the Democrats over a "budget crisis" and how to "downsize" state government resulted in a halt to all but the most essential public services.
Members of the Maine State Employees Association (MSEA, SEIU Local 1989) immediately organized boisterous picket lines at the state capitol to protest the govemor's action.
Gov. McKernan had linked passage of his budget to passage of a workers' compensation "reform" bill-which favored the insurance companies and seriously threatened the rights of injured workers. Some of the proposed changes would reduce the number of weeks that injured workers are covered, and force them to do a statewide job search for alternative employment.
Big businesses in Maine have a powerful lobby at the State House, and they threatened to leave the state if they did not have their way with this bill. It left the Democrats and Republicans fighting amongst themselves over workers' compensation, when everyone knew that eventually the Democrats would cave in and vote for lesser-evil reforms.
During the lockout, MSEA members set up a union tent city on the capitol lawns. Their goal was to be a constant reminder to the governor, legislature, and public of their unjust treatment. To show support, several other local unions set up tents, donated food and other resources, and attended rallies.
On July 5, over 1000 workers showed up on the front steps of the State House to