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Thursday, March 28, 2024

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Pulling back the curtains on wage-theft enforcement in MN; Trump's latest attack is on RFK, Jr; NM LGBTQ+ equality group endorses 2024 'Rock Star' candidates; Michigan's youth justice reforms: Expanded diversion, no fees.

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Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says rebuilding Baltimore's Key Bridge will be challenging and expensive. An Alabama Democrat flips a state legislature seat and former Connecticut senator Joe Lieberman dies at 82.

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Historic wildfires could create housing and health issues for rural Texans, a Kentucky program helps prison parolees start a new life, and descendants of Nicodemus, Kansas celebrate the Black settlers who journeyed across the 1870s plains seeking self-governance.

ME: Social Justice

About one-quarter of Maine farmworkers live in poverty, and they are roughly 4.5 times as likely to live below the poverty line as other workers in the state, according to the Maine Center for Economic Policy. (Adobe Stock)

Wednesday, March 27, 2024

Effort continues to ensure state minimum wage for ME farmworkers

Legislation proposed by Maine Gov. Janet Mills would ensure thousands of farmworkers are eligible to receive the state minimum wage. Current law …

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The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a shortage of 74,000 social workers each year for the next decade, with more rural areas such as Maine hit hardest. (Adobe Stock)

Monday, March 25, 2024

ME social workers, educators seek end to state licensing exam

Social workers in Maine say the state's required licensing exam is biased and contributing to a shortage of workers in the field. Data show …

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More than 60% of candidates for Maine's legislative offices participated in the state's Clean Election program in 2022, up from 30% of candidates in 2000, when it began. (Adobe Stock)<br /><br /><br />
Maine considers expanding 'clean elections' law to county candidates

Maine could become the first state in the nation to provide public funding to candidates seeking the office of district attorney. Lawmakers are …

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Members of the Sunrise Movement in Franklin County, Maine, advocate for a Green New Deal. The Fifth National Climate Assessment showed greenhouse gas emissions in the United States fell 12% from 2005 to 2019 but will need to decrease 6% annually to meet international climate goals. <br />
Young activists call on Biden administration to declare climate emergency

Young activists are pressuring President Joe Biden to declare a climate emergency and use the additional powers to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions…

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Voters can also track the status of their absentee ballot to ensure it's been received and counted by 8 p.m. on Nov. 7. Bellows notes the use of absentee ballots also helps shorten voting lines on Election Day and reduce the workload for election workers. (Adobe Stock)
No-excuse absentee voting helps build voter turnout in ME

With less than a month to go before Maine's November 7 Referendum Election, more than 30,000 voters have already requested a no-excuse absentee …

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Named for Dr. Charles Scontras, a long-time Maine labor historian, author, and educator who died in March 2021, the Charles Scontras Center for Labor and Community Education will be located at the University of Southern Maine with a potential satellite office at Lewiston-Auburn College. (Adobe Stock)
New Labor Center in Maine to Focus on Union Organizing, Community Education

Union activity is thriving nationwide and a new labor center in Maine aims to keep it going. The University of Southern Maine will open the Charles …

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The number of climate-related cases has more than doubled in the last five years, with 1,522 cases currently underway in the United States, according to Columbia University's Sabin Center for Climate Change Law. (Adobe Stock)
Climate Activists Organize for 'Green Amendment' in Maine

Youth climate activists in Maine are working to enshrine "the right to a clean and healthy environment" into their state's constitution. It is …

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About one-quarter of Maine farmworkers live in poverty, making them roughly 4.5 times as likely to live below the poverty line as other Maine workers, according to the Maine Center for Economic Policy. <br />(Adobe Stock)
ME Farm Workers Denied Minimum Wage

Gov. Janet Mills has vetoed a bill to pay Maine farmworkers the state's minimum wage, but labor groups say the fight isn't over. They plan to keep …

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Only 22 states have educational standards which require at least one semester course in personal finance to graduate high school, according to Nex Gen. Maine is not one of them. (Adobe Stock)<br />
Bowdoin Students Benefit from Job Training 'Bootcamp'

Students at Bowdoin College are benefiting from an innovative, student-led program aimed at taking the mystery out of career planning. Each winter …

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In 2021, workers in the agriculture, forestry and fishing industry experienced one of the highest fatal injury rates at 20 deaths per 100,000 full-time workers, compared to a rate of 3.6 deaths per 100,000 workers for all U.S. industries. (Adobe Stock)
ME Farmworkers Strive for Minimum Wage, Right to Unionize

Lawmakers in Maine are considering legislation to improve the wages and working conditions of thousands of farmworkers. Current law requires …

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The world is home to 1.8 billion young people between ages 10 and 24, the largest generation of youth in history, who are increasingly aware of the challenges and risks presented by the climate crisis. (Adobe Stock)
'Climate Grief' Motivates Young Mainers to Take Action

The magnitude of climate change can feel overwhelming, creating a sense of so-called "climate grief" for some, but young climate activists say they …

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The average annual pay for a fast-food worker in the U.S. is $27,040 a year, or approximately $13.00 an hour, according to ZipRecruiter. (Adobe Stock)<br />
Chipotle Pays Augusta, Maine Union Organizers for Labor Violations

Mexican fast-food chain Chipotle will pay workers at its former location in Augusta, Maine as part of a settlement over labor law violations…

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