Posts tagged Maine
Navy shipbuilder Bath Iron Works reaches deal with union after weeklong strike
March 30, 2026 // “We look forward to working together once again to deliver the Navy’s ships on time to protect our nation and our families,” Bath Iron Works, known for the slogan “Bath built is best built,” said in a statement. The shipyard and the union negotiated for three weeks without resolving differences before the strike began last Monday, Bath Iron Works spokesperson David Hench said.
BIW union on strike after failed contract negotiations
March 24, 2026 // Six weeks ago, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth visited BIW, encouraging workers to build warships as fast as they can. Some of those workers are now on strike. Members of the Bath Marine Draftsmen Association voted on Sunday to reject the proposed “best and final offer” from General Dynamics and BIW. The strike of more than 600 workers would also extend beyond BIW to other General Dynamics locations across the world.
Maine Considers Setting Minimum Rate of Pay for Rideshare Drivers on Platforms Like Uber and Lyft
January 21, 2026 // At the close of their testimony, the group suggests that lawmakers consider implementing a “portable benefits” program wherein drivers can accrue benefits across multiple platforms without “sacrificing their independent contractor status.” “We share the goal of ensuring that rideshare drivers can earn a fair living,” Chamber of Progress said. “But the evidence is clear: in city after city, minimum pay mandates have backfired by raising prices for riders, compressing earnings for experienced drivers, and degrading service for everyone.”
Iron Workers President Kyle Chasse to Serve 3 Years Probation
January 2, 2026 // On October 7, 2025, in the United States District Court for the District of Maine, Kyle Chasse, former President of Iron Workers Local 745 (located in Kittery, Maine), was sentenced to three years of probation. Chasse was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $10,533, a fine of $2,000, and a $1,300 special assessment. On June 26, 2025, Chasse pleaded guilty to 12 counts of wire fraud and one count of making a false statement, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1343 and 18 U.S.C. 1001(a)(3), respectively. The sentencing follows an investigation by the OLMS Boston-Buffalo District Office.
Maine police union files complaint against Mills Administration
December 5, 2025 // The filing from the Fraternal Order of Police comes after the largest union for state employees made similar claims in a labor complaint last month.
Workers at Some of the World’s Largest Museums Are Demanding Fairer Pay
December 2, 2025 // The potential new union chapter at the Met is with the Technical, Office, and Professional Union, Local 2110, part of the United Automobile Workers (UAW) union. The museum does have union chapters for projectionists and audio/visual technicians with Local 306 IATSE, and for about 700 security guards with Local 1503, part of DC 37, and there has previously been an attempt to establish a wall-to-wall union bringing all staff together in one chapter.
DOL Awards $86M for Skilled Trades Training
October 29, 2025 // Administered by the department’s Employment and Training Administration, these grants will provide outcome-based reimbursements to employers for providing training in high-demand and emerging industries that align with President Trump’s Executive Order 14278, Preparing Americans for High-Paying Skilled Trade Jobs of the Future, and Executive Order 14629, Restoring America’s Maritime Dominance. These priorities are also in line with the goals published in America’s Talent Strategy and America’s AI Action Plan. “President Trump has directed the Labor Department to Make America Skilled Again by providing states with the resources they need to expand on-the-job training opportunities,” said Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer.
Social Security Union warns of collapse due to government shutdown
October 24, 2025 // The union that represents Social Security employees in Maine is warning of the impacts as the government shutdown continues. The American Federation of Government Employees says the Social Security Administration is on the verge of collapse as workers are continuing to work without pay. The AFGE argues that employees should be allowed to work from home during the shutdown due to the costs of traveling to the office.
Iron Workers Union President Kyle Chasse Pleads Guilty to All 13 Criminal Counts
August 22, 2025 // Lying and stealing—Iron Workers Local 745’s former leader pleads guilty to a string of federal offenses. "Kyle Chasse, former President of Iron Workers Local 745 (located in Kittery, Maine), pleaded guilty to 12 counts of wire fraud and one count of making a false statement, in violation of 18 U.S.C. 1343 and 18 U.S.C. 1001(a)(3), respectively. The guilty plea follows an investigation by the OLMS Boston-Buffalo District Office."
Labor Day 2025: More protests than parades and picnics
August 20, 2025 // But the biggest blowout, organizers hope, is going to be on Labor Day itself. Local events can be found at MayDayStrong.org. There is also a toolkit for event hosts and organizers to coordinate their actions. The organizers hope to exceed the estimated five million people who hit the streets on No Kings Day back in April. The key demands at all the protests will be: “stop the billionaire takeover and rampant corruption of the Trump administration, protect and defend Medicaid, Social Security, and other programs for working people,” plus “fully funded schools, and healthcare and housing for all.” Marchers will also demand the Trump regime “stop the attacks on immigrants, Black, indigenous, trans people, and all our communities and invest in people, not wars.”