Maine needs candidates who will reverse the decline of organized labor | Opinion

Portland’s 80‑Year‑Old General Strike Still Shaped Maine’s Labor Landscape

August 2023 – Portland, Maine – In August 1943, a wave of workers from the city’s Public Works Department and across the state’s industries walked off their jobs in a two‑day general strike that halted Portland’s traffic, garbage collection and road‑maintenance operations. The strike, which involved more than 4,000 union members and 200 Public Works Department employees, was a pivotal moment in Maine’s labor history and a reminder of the power of collective action.

The protest began in the midst of a post‑World War II labor surge. The workers in the Public Works Department had been denied wage increases for several years, a legacy of the Great Depression. While they had faithfully maintained city services during the war, the end of hostilities left them demanding a fair wage, sick leave, overtime pay and the right to an eight‑hour workday—benefits that were not legally guaranteed for public employees at the time. Their grievances resonated with AFSCME Local 946, which had already been on a 17‑day strike. In solidarity, the workers joined the wider protest, which included bus drivers, painters, carpenters, laborers, electricians, truckers, plumbers, steamfitters, machinists, longshoremen and even barbers.

City Manager James E. Barlow initially attempted to weather the strike. For more than two weeks, he allowed garbage to pile up on the streets and roadwork to halt, hoping that the workers would relent. However, the tide turned on the strike’s 17th day when thousands of additional union members joined the walk‑outs. Facing a city that was effectively shut down, Barlow and the City Council finally recognized the unions and negotiated an agreement that secured many of the workers’ demands.

The Portland General Strike was part of a nationwide wave of labor action in 1946 that saw over five million workers in the United States walk off the job, demanding better wages and working conditions. The strikes exposed the vulnerability of a workforce that had endured the Depression and war‑era hardships without a legal right to strike.

In the years that followed, the labor movement faced significant legal setbacks. The Taft‑Hartley Act of 1947, passed by a Congress that included Maine’s entire delegation, imposed strict limits on union activity and enabled states to adopt “right‑to‑work for less” laws that weakened collective bargaining by allowing workers to enjoy union benefits without contributing dues. In Portland, City Manager Barlow attempted to push a right‑to‑work referendum that ultimately failed by a 2‑to‑1 margin on election day.

These legislative changes, coupled with a growing anti‑union industry that spends an estimated $1.5 billion annually on union avoidance tactics, contributed to a sharp decline in union membership. In the 1950s, about one‑third of American workers belonged to labor unions. Today, that number has fallen to roughly 10 percent. At the same time, productivity has continued to climb, outpacing wages by a factor of three since 1979, according to the Economic Policy Institute.

The historical context is part of the backdrop for current political efforts. U.S. Senate candidate Troy Jackson and 2nd District congressional candidate Matt Dunlap have pledged to support the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act. The legislation aims to repeal the most damaging provisions of Taft‑Hartley, curb union‑busting practices, and restore a more level playing field for workers who wish to join unions.

Public opinion polls suggest a resurgence of support for unionization, with record‑high approval spanning political, age and demographic lines. This growing backing has bolstered the political platform of candidates like Jackson and Dunlap, who argue that restoring bargaining power is essential for addressing rising economic inequality in Maine and across the country.

“Portland’s general strike was a defining moment for workers,” said Cynthia Phinney, president of the Maine AFL‑CIO. “It demonstrated that organized labor could secure better wages, hours and benefits—even when the law did not initially support them. That legacy continues to influence the fight for workers’ rights today.”

As Maine moves toward November’s elections, the state’s labor history remains a potent reminder of the impact of organized action. The 1943 strike, celebrated by unions as an 80‑year milestone, underscores a broader national narrative: the struggle for fair compensation and the ongoing battle to preserve workers’ ability to negotiate collectively.

For more information about the PRO Act and the candidates’ stances on labor issues, visit the Maine AFL‑CIO website or the campaign pages for Troy Jackson and Matt Dunlap.