Resolve, To Implement Recommendations of the Study Commission Regarding Liveable Wages Concerning Plans To Increase Wages to Maine Workers

Sec. 1. Development of plans to increase wages. Resolved: That the Department of Labor, in consultation with the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Education, shall:

1. Develop a 5-year plan to increase the wages of all state workers to a livable wage;

2. Develop a 5-year plan to increase the wages of all health care workers to a livable wage. The 5-year plan must include:

A. Regulation reforms that could save health care employers money and enable those employers to put those savings toward the payment of higher wages;

B. Regulation reforms that could balance current requirements in the health care field so that money could be available to go toward higher wages; and

C. The creation of wage parity among people who do similar jobs; and

3. Develop a 10-year plan to increase the wages of all municipal, county, school system, university system and community college employees to a livable wage.

Any reforms proposed pursuant to this section must be designed so they are not detrimental to the provision of health care and to ensure that savings go toward increased wages.

The Department of Labor shall annually, beginning January 1, 2007, report on the status of the plans required pursuant to this resolve to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over labor matters.

SUMMARY

This resolve is a recommendation of the Study Commission Regarding Liveable Wages. The resolve directs the Department of Labor, in consultation with the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Education, to develop plans to increase wages to workers in this State. It also requires the Department of Labor to submit annual progress reports on the plans to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having jurisdiction over labor matters.