Maine Gov. Janet Mills announced Wednesday that she has introduced legislation that would establish a minimum hourly wage for Maine agricultural workers.
The governor’s bill, LD 2273, was presented by House Speaker Rachel Talbot Ross (D-Portland), and cosponsored by the co-chairs of the Legislature’s Committee on Labor and Housing, Sen. Mike Tipping (D-Penobscot) and Rep. Amy Roeder (D-Bangor).
The legislation comes after Gov. Mills “reluctantly” vetoed a bill from the first session of the 131st Legislature in July 2023 that would have established a minimum wage for agricultural workers, over concerns about the scope of the legislation.
Mills subsequently established the Agricultural Worker Minimum Wage Committee via executive order last year, a “formal stakeholder group” that was tasked with generating a report with recommendations on this new legislation for the second session.
“Maine’s agricultural industry, along with the hardworking farmers and farm workers who sustain it, are a cornerstone of our economy – and we cannot achieve a healthy industry without supporting both in a balanced way,” Gov. Mills said Wednesday.
“While I recognize this legislation does not entirely achieve everyone’s aims, it takes into account a diverse set of perspectives and appropriately balances the need to establish a minimum wage for farm workers with the unique and diverse challenges of running a farm in Maine,” Mills said.
Under the bill, the minimum hourly wage for Maine farm workers would be set at $14.15 beginning Sept. 1, 2024, aligning it with the minimum wage under current state law.
Beginning in 2025 — and each subsequent year — that minimum wage would increase proportionally to any increase in the cost of living.
[RELATED: Maine City Exploring Universal Basic Income Program, $20/Hour Minimum Wage…]
The bill also would require employers in the agriculture industry to keep records of the hours worked by each of their employees and of wages paid, retain those records for at least three years, and provide each employee with a statement of wages detailing hours, total earnings and itemized deductions.
Speaker Talbot Ross commended Gov. Mills for “her commitment to fostering this conversation and her work to ensure we have a thriving agricultural workforce for the years to come” and for the “arduous and inclusive stakeholder process” that generated the legislation.
“Farming is one of the state’s proudest heritage industries and an integral part of our economy,” Talbot Ross said. “Mainers recognize that farmers and farmworkers are hardworking people. And we also recognize there are serious and deeply entrenched structural and systemic problems in this sector.”
“This legislation will allow Maine to take a significant step in working towards equitable conditions and finally guarantees a minimum wage for this essential work,” Talbot Ross said.
The commissioners of the state’s Department of Labor and Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry issued a joint statement Wednesday in support of the governor’s bill.
“We know there were a wide range of strongly-held perspectives on both sides of this issue and that agreement was difficult to find, but we also believe it is important to recognize that the vast majority of folks agreed on three things during the Committee process: that agriculture is a unique industry in Maine; that the vital work performed by agricultural workers is essential to the success of the industry; and that that work should be fairly compensated in line with the state minimum wage,” Labor Commissioner Laura Fortman and Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Commissioner Amanda Beal said.
“We believe this legislation achieves that goal,” they said.
LD 2273, “An Act to Establish a State Minimum Hourly Wage for Agricultural Workers,” has been referred to the Legislature’s Committee on Labor and Housing, although the public hearing and work session dates have not yet been posted.
<span class="dsq-postid" data-dsqidentifier="26806 https://www.themainewire.com/?p=26806">8 Comments
Serbians crossing the Canadian boarder illegally are picking our potatoes.
BULLSHIT ! THIS IS JUST ANOTHER MANDATE FROM PEOPLE WHO HAVE NO FRIGGN IDEA WHAT FARMERS OR REAL WORLD WORKING OEOPLE AND BUSINESSES HAVE TO DEAL WITH. THIS WILL ONLY DRIVE ANY SMALL FARMERS TO NOT HIRE AND WORK MORE HOURS OR FIND WAYS TO WORK AROUND BUEREACTIC BULLSHIT! #FJM
Interesting that all the names in the this article are democrats and all but one are women. And Maine’s leftward slide continues apace as more employers are told how to run their companies, now even farmers.
I receive regular notifications from the Maine Department of Agriculture – here’s one… “The Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association is sponsoring Farmworker May Days for the LGBTQ+ community on May 19 and the BIPOC community on May 26. Farmers that identify as QTBIPOC are welcome to attend both days. These day-long events are free and are organized by LGBTQ+ and BIPOC farmers.” And there’s stipends! “Food, child care, interpretation, and travel stipends will be provided.”
A once “bread and butter” state agency has been radicalized during Mills’ administration.
Driving the Maine small farmer under, one Democrat mandate after another.
Mrs. Potato Head pretends she likes Maine farmers. Can hardly wait until she goes full Dutch on them.
Sponsored by the LL Bean shoplifter Rachel Talbot Ross, who’s never worked on a farm, (or worked a real private sector job), and has not a clue on the cost of growing and harvesting produce. Funny, but I noticed this proposed legislation is also all DEMOCRATS. They’re more than willing to spend someone elses money…as long as it’s not theirs.
Does this include all the thousands of illegal Chinese, who are STILL growing pot in residential homes all over the state ? They could use the extra money to pay the “governor’s” share of the take. They raided a tiny percentage of these operations and it’s back to business as usual……