Aroostook County Democrats Chair Troy Haines has been monitoring recent developments in issues regarding Maine logging jobs.
“We keep being told that this is a jobs administration, but at the same time the house takes action to insure that hardworking Maine loggers remain disenfranchised and marginalized. Comments have been made that our loggers are inferior to Canadian loggers in work ethic. We take exception to this,” said Haines.
Haines questions the legality of proposed efforts to hire foreign labor to work in Maine’s forest industry.
“Further comments have been made that we need to keep the influx of foreign labor pouring into our markets, taking our jobs, in order to keep prices low. This is not only infuriating, not only outrageous, but it is illegal. The bonded labor programs, by law, cannot be used to impact cost. This is a major and unabashed violation of federal law that’s being used to protect profits, at the expense of hundreds upon hundreds of Maine jobs, and hundreds of thousands of Maine tax dollars,” noted Haines.
The Aroostook County Democratic Committee is looking for ways to assist Maine loggers.
“The Aroostook County Democratic Committee has set up a fund to raise money to help offset fuel costs so that these Maine loggers, many of whom would otherwise be unable to be heard — as they are, in fact, unemployed — can go to Augusta and have the legislators who are doing their best to eradicate Maine loggers’ livelihoods look them in the eye. This is an opportunity for the truth of the matter, the real impact of these illegal practices being undertaken in Maine, to come out. The fund has only been set up for one day but as of right now we have raised $940, and we are very excited about this,” said Haines.
Contributions can be made to this fund by sending a check to Aroostook County Democrats, 679 Pulcifer Rd., Mapleton, ME 04757.
