Angus King on Jobs Independent Former ME Governor

Protected jobs in forests & Bath Iron Works

Brakey: No. Says, "Government doesn't create jobs, the free market creates jobs."

King: Yes. Says has protected "thousands of jobs" at Bath Iron Works & helped bolster & diversify ME forest economy.

Ringelstein: Yes. Lays out 7-point plan to "reignite Maine's economy," including spending for infrastructure & broadband.

Supports federal minimum wage increase; but not $15

Brakey: No. Will hurt the people it's intended to help.

King: Yes. Has long supported Federal increase. Not yet backing $15.

Ringelstein: Yes. Increase to $15/hour & tie to inflation.

Keep 900 shoe factory jobs in Maine

King visited shoe factories in Madison and Skowhegan and called for continued trade protection for New Balance Athletic Shoe. "There are more than 900 jobs at stake in Maine, and it would be a terrible blow to the region and the state if these jobs are lost," said the former governor, who is running as an independent.

Cynthia Dill, the Democratic nominee, joined in afterward by issuing her own statement supporting fair trade protections for Maine workers. "There's no reason at this time to consider dropping tariffs against foreign products that compete unfairly against those produced in Maine," she said.

Summers also said New Balance and its jobs need to be protected, & that trade agreements that affect other industries need to be revisited as well. "I'm very much a supporter of free trade," Summers said. "But with companies like New Balance, you have to make sure they are able to compete."

Worker training for transition from loom to mouse

But now we have to invite another player-Adult Ed-to the table and take the next step in a pilot project I call “Transition U.,” an initiative designed specifically for mid-career workers who are in transition and who are ready to trade the shuttle of the loom for the mouse of the computer. Transition U. [will be] light on the bricks and mortar, and no new bureaucracy, but a practical collaborative partnership with real results.

Sponsored bill for strengthening union organizing.

H.R.842 & S.420: Protecting the Right to Organize Act: This bill expands various labor protections related to employees` rights to organize and collectively bargain in the workplace:

1. revises the definitions of employee, supervisor, and employer to broaden the scope of individuals covered by the fair labor standards;
2. permits labor organizations to encourage participation of union members in strikes initiated by employees represented by a different labor organization (i.e., secondary strikes); and
3. prohibits employers from bringing claims against unions that conduct such secondary strikes.

Biden Administration in SUPPORT: The Administration strongly supports The PRO Act. America was not built by Wall Street. It was built by the middle class, and unions built the middle class. Unions put power in the hands of workers. H.R. 842 would strengthen and protect workers` right to form a union by assessing penalties on employers who violate workers` right to organize.

Rep. Mo Brooks in OPPOSITION: H.R. 842 [is] a radical union bill that tramples the rights of citizens by forcing them to enter into union servitude, including:

• Overturns right-to-work laws in 27 states, thereby forcing citizens, against their will, to pay millions of dollars in dues to labor unions.
• Denies citizens` rights to vote by secret ballot on whether to join a union by imposing a biased `card-check` scheme.
• Deprives individuals of entrepreneurial opportunities. The PRO Act would eliminate the franchise industry and sharing economy as we know them.