Jackson, Pingree appeal to workers at Labor Day breakfast
Troy Jackson shakes hands during the Southern Maine Labor Council’s Labor Day Breakfast at the Maine Elks Lodge in Portland on Monday. (Daryn Slover/Staff Photographer)
PORTLAND — Troy Jackson and Hannah Pingree kicked off Labor Day by calling on members of Maine’s working class for support.
The Democratic nominees for U.S. Senate and governor promised an energetic group in Portland on Monday that workers’ rights are top of mind this election cycle. Both candidates drew on their experiences as parents and Mainers to appeal to the crowd of union workers and elected officials.
Their speeches resonated with some attendees at the Maine Elks Lodge, who said they feel invigorated and ready to vote for both candidates this fall. There was a sense of urgency to address key issues Mainers are facing, most notably a rising cost of living.
Matt Schlobohm, executive director of the Maine AFL-CIO, told the audience at the Southern Maine Labor Council’s annual breakfast event that the stakes are especially high this election year.
“The most effective way to beat authoritarianism is to win elections,” Schlobohm said. “The next most important thing is to deliver for working people. And we are going to do both of those things.”
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Jackson appeared at the event as one of his final campaign stops over Labor Day weekend. The 58-year-old logger has spent the past two days appealing to workers in his bid to beat Republican Sen. Susan Collins, who is seeking her sixth term.
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He highlighted some of his campaign priorities at Monday’s event, including bringing down the cost of prescription drugs, strengthening Social Security and raising the minimum wage to $20.
Hannah Pingree attends the Southern Maine Labor Council’s Labor Day Breakfast at the Maine Elks Lodge in Portland on Monday. (Daryn Slover/Staff Photographer) Purchase this image
“I learned a long time ago that working people can win fights that nobody expects us to win when we stand together and when the people we elect remember whose side they’re supposed to be on,” Jackson said.
“We’re with you, Troy,” a man in the audience shouted in response.
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Mark Brunton, president of the Maine Service Employees Association SEIU Local 1989, said in an interview after the event that Jackson’s priorities mirror the “Contract with Maine’s Working Class,” a political platform made with input from thousands of union members across the state. The document outlines demands that were drawn from survey results by represented workers.
Brunton said the success of Monday’s breakfast event — which organizers said was the most well-attended in recent history — is a culmination of the work that went into creating that document.
As someone who has worked several jobs to support his family, Brunton said he is voting for Jackson because he understands that workers need to be prioritized and protected.
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Pingree, who is running against Republican Bobby Charles and independent Rick Bennett in the Maine governor’s race, also addressed the audience Monday.
The former speaker of the Maine House of Representatives and official in Gov. Janet Mills’ administration said during her speech that she’s committed to lowering costs of housing and healthcare, as well as prioritizing workers. Pingree said that if elected, she would appoint a senior adviser dedicated to labor issues.
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John Cabral III, a shop steward in Bath Iron Works’ largest union, said in an interview that he is excited about Jackson and Pingree’s focus on lowering housing costs.
Thousands of workers at the shipyard recently received a 17% wage hike following the ratification of a new contract, which also outlines annual increases until the agreement expires in 2031. Cabral said in the wake of this win, members still need affordable housing opportunities so the shipyard can secure and retain skilled shipbuilders.
Bennett said in a statement that he will be “relentlessly focused on delivering results” to Mainers who are struggling with heightened housing, energy and healthcare costs.
The Collins campaign said Monday in an email that Jackson has contributed to some of the problems he says he is trying to solve.
“When Troy Jackson was Senate President, Maine faced the highest increase in electric rates in the nation and the highest property taxes based on income in all 50 states,” said Blake Kernan, press secretary for the Collins campaign. “These are problems he helped create in Augusta that contributed directly to the affordability problems he is now talking about.”
Spokespeople for the Charles campaign did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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Tagged: hannah pingree, Labor Day, maine politics, Troy Jackson
Morgan covers breaking news and public safety for the Portland Press Herald. Before moving to Maine in 2024, she reported for Michigan State University's student-run publication, as well as the Indianapolis. More by Morgan Womack
