Farmworker minimum wage bill headed to Gov. Mills
Once again, the Maine Legislature is sending a bill to the governor's desk that would give farmworkers the right to state minimum wage.
On Tuesday, the House of Representatives narrowly passed and then enacted — by a one-vote margin — LD 589, which mirrors a proposal Gov. Janet Mills put forward last session. The Senate enacted the measure later that day, sending it to the governor for her approval.
'By supporting this legislation, we affirm our commitment to fairness and consistency in our labor standards while continuing to honor the invaluable contributions of our agricultural community,' said Rep. Amy Roeder (D-Bangor) during the House debate Tuesday.
Mills has vetoed multiple similar proposals in the past, including her own last session after the Labor Committee changed it. However, Labor Commissioner Laura Fortman said during a committee meeting last month that Mills seems to be on board with the amended version of LD 589.
Similar to the discussion on the Senate floor Monday, some House Republicans raised concerns that this bill would prohibit piecework, which is often used by sectors such as the blueberry industry to pay people based on how much they pick.
Roeder, who co-chairs the Labor Committee, clarified that piecework is not outlawed by the bill.
Most agricultural employers who spoke to the committee said they already pay more than the state's minimum wage of $14.65 an hour, but proponents have said the bill is important because it addresses the historic exclusion of agricultural workers from labor rights.
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