Title 26, Title 26

If any clause, sentence, paragraph or part of this chapter for any reason be adjudged by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, such judgment shall not affect, impair or invalidate the remainder of this chapter.

Either party to negotiations may publicize the parties' written initial collective bargaining proposals. No proposal may be publicized until 10 days after both parties have made their initial proposal.

1. Bargaining agent access to employees. Public employers shall provide to a bargaining agent access to members of the bargaining unit that the bargaining agent exclusively represents. Access must include, but is not limited to, the following: A. The right to meet with individual…

During the interim after the expiration of a collective bargaining agreement and before the effective date of any subsequent collective bargaining agreement, public employees covered by the expired collective bargaining agreement remain eligible for and must receive step increase…

It is declared to be the public policy of this State and it is the purpose of this chapter to promote the improvement of the relationship between the State and its employees and between the Legislature and its employees by providing a uniform basis for recognizing the right of st…

As used in this chapter the following terms shall, unless the context requires a different interpretation, have the following meanings. [PL 1973, c. 774 (NEW).] 1. Bargaining agent. "Bargaining agent" means any lawful organization, association or individual representative of such…

A person may not directly or indirectly interfere with, intimidate, restrain, coerce or discriminate against a state or legislative employee or a group of employees in the free exercise of their rights, given by this section, to voluntarily: [PL 2007, c. 415, §6 (RPR).] 1. Join a…

1. Public employer prohibitions. The public employer, its representatives and agents are prohibited from: A. Interfering with, restraining or coercing employees in the exercise of the rights guaranteed in section 979‑B; [PL 1973, c. 774 (NEW).] B. Encouraging or discouraging memb…

1. Negotiations. On and after January 1, 1975, it shall be the obligation of the public employer and the bargaining agent to bargain collectively. "Collective bargaining" means, for the purpose of this chapter, their mutual obligation: A. To meet at reasonable times; [PL 1973, c.…

1. Bargaining unit standards. In the event of a dispute between the public employer and an employee or employees as to the appropriateness of a unit for purposes of collective bargaining or between the public employer and an employee or employees as to whether a supervisory or ot…

1. Voluntary recognition. Any state employee organization may file a request with the public employer alleging that a majority of the state employees in an appropriate bargaining unit wish to be represented for the purpose of collective bargaining between the public employer and …

1. Rule-making procedure. Proceedings conducted under this chapter are subject to the rules and procedures of the board promulgated under section 968, subsection 3. 2. Review of representation proceedings. Any person aggrieved by any ruling or determination of the executive direc…

1. The board is empowered, as provided, to prevent any person, the public employer, any state employee, any legislative employee, any employee organization or any bargaining agent from engaging in any of the prohibited acts enumerated in section 979‑C. This power may not be affec…

1. Hearings conducted by the board shall be informal and the rules of evidence prevailing in judicial proceedings shall not be binding. Any and all documentary evidence and other evidence deemed relevant by the board may be received. 2. Subpoena power. The chair has the power to …

1. Report; budget. The board shall annually, on or before the first day of July, make a report to the Governor. The appropriation for the board and the executive director must be included in the budget of the Department of Labor and authorization for expenditures is the responsib…

An agreement between a bargaining agent and the public employer may provide for binding arbitration as the final step of a grievance procedure, provided that any such grievance procedure shall be exclusive and shall supersede any otherwise applicable grievance procedure provided …

In any judicial proceeding brought under this chapter or to enforce any of the rights guaranteed by this chapter, any unincorporated employee organization may sue or be sued in the name by which it is known.

1. Either party may seek a review by the Superior Court of a binding determination by an arbitration panel. Such review shall be sought in accordance with Rule 80B of the Maine Rules of Civil Procedure. 2. In the absence of fraud, the binding determination of an arbitration panel…

1. If any clause, sentence, paragraph or part of this chapter, or the application thereof to any person or circumstances, shall, for any reason, be adjudged by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, such judgment shall not affect, impair or invalidate the remainder of t…

The name of the Public Employees Labor Relations Board is changed to the Maine Labor Relations Board. Whenever the name Public Employees Labor Relations Board appears in law, it shall be construed to mean Maine Labor Relations Board.

Either party to negotiations may publicize the parties' written initial collective bargaining proposals. No proposal may be publicized until 10 days after both parties have made their initial proposal.

1. Contract signed before October 1, 2005. If a contract between a public employer and a bargaining agent signed prior to October 1, 2005 expires prior to the parties' agreement on a new contract, the grievance arbitration provisions of the expired contract pertaining to discipli…

This section governs limited-period positions created for former regular employees of the State who are receiving workers' compensation payments from the State when creation of the positions will enable those employees to return to productive employment with the State. A person p…

1. Bargaining agent access to employees. Public employers shall provide to a bargaining agent access to members of the bargaining unit that the bargaining agent exclusively represents. Access must include, but is not limited to, the following: A. The right to meet with individual…

During the interim after the expiration of a collective bargaining agreement and before the effective date of any subsequent collective bargaining agreement, state employees covered by the expired collective bargaining agreement remain eligible for and must receive merit increase…

It is declared to be the public policy of this State and it is the purpose of this chapter to promote the improvement of the relationship between public employers and their employees by providing a uniform basis for recognizing the right of the University of Maine System employee…

As used in this chapter, the following terms shall, unless the context requires a different interpretation, have the following meanings. [PL 1975, c. 603, §1 (NEW).] 1. Bargaining agent. 1-A. Academy. "Academy" means the Maine Maritime Academy and its activities and functions sup…

A person may not directly or indirectly interfere with, intimidate, restrain, coerce or discriminate against a university, academy or community college employee or a group of university, academy or community college employees in the free exercise of their rights, given by this se…

1. Legislative intent. It is the express legislative intent that, in order to foster meaningful collective bargaining, units shall be structured in such a way as to avoid excessive fragmentation whenever possible. In accordance with this policy, bargaining units shall be structur…

1. Voluntary recognition. A university, academy or community college employee organization may file a request with the university, academy or community colleges alleging that a majority of the university, academy or community college employees in an appropriate bargaining unit as…

1. Negotiations. It is the obligation of the university, academy, community college or state schools for practical nursing and the bargaining agent to bargain collectively. "Collective bargaining" means, for the purpose of this chapter, their mutual obligation: A. To meet at reas…

1. University, academy and community colleges; prohibitions. The university, its representatives and agents, the academy, its representatives and agents and the community colleges, their representatives and agents are prohibited from: A. Interfering with, restraining or coercing …

1. Rule making procedure. Proceedings conducted under this chapter shall be subject to the rules and procedures of the board promulgated under section 968, subsection 3. 2. Review of representation proceedings. Any person aggrieved by any ruling or determination of the executive …

1. Board power to prevent prohibited acts. The board is empowered, as provided, to prevent any person, the university, any university employee, any university employee organizations, the academy, any academy employees, any academy employee organizations, the community colleges, a…

1. Conduct of hearings. Hearings conducted by the board shall be informal and the rules of evidence prevailing in judicial proceedings shall not be binding. Any and all documentary evidence and other evidence deemed relevant by the board may be received. 2. Power of chair. The ch…

A collective bargaining agreement between the university, the academy or the community colleges and a bargaining agent may provide for binding arbitration as the final step of a grievance procedure but the only grievances which may be taken to such binding arbitration shall be di…

In any judicial proceeding brought under this chapter or to enforce any of the rights guaranteed by this chapter, any unincorporated employee organization may sue or be sued in the name by which it is known.

1. Court review. Either party may seek a review by the Superior Court of a binding determination by an arbitration panel. Such review shall be sought in accordance with the Maine Rules of Civil Procedure, Rule 80B. 2. Determination final on questions of fact. In the absence of fr…

1. Severability. If any clause, sentence, paragraph or part of this chapter, or the application thereof to any person or circumstances, shall, for any reason, be adjudged by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, such judgment shall not affect, impair or invalidate the …

Either party to negotiations may publicize the parties' written initial collective bargaining proposals. No proposals may be publicized until 10 days after both parties have made their initial proposal.

If a contract between a public employer and a bargaining agent signed after October 1, 2005 expires prior to the parties' agreement on a new contract, the grievance arbitration provisions of the expired contract remain in effect until the parties execute a new contract. In any ar…

1. Bargaining agent access to employees. The university, academy or community college shall provide to a bargaining agent access to members of the bargaining unit that the bargaining agent exclusively represents. Access must include, but is not limited to, the following: A. The r…

During the interim after the expiration of a collective bargaining agreement and before the effective date of any subsequent collective bargaining agreement, regular employees covered by the expired collective bargaining agreement remain eligible for and must receive step increas…

This chapter shall be known and may be cited as the "Employment Security Law".

Economic insecurity due to unemployment is a serious menace to the health, morals and welfare of the people of this State. Unemployment is therefore a subject of general interest and concern that requires appropriate action by the Legislature to prevent its spread and to lighten …

As used in this chapter, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the following words shall have the following meanings. 1. Agricultural labor. A. On and after January 1, 1978, "agricultural labor" includes any service performed: (1) On a farm, in the employ of any person, …