Making Sausage in Augusta
Laws are like sausages, it is better not to see them being made.
Otto von Bismarck
Today was HR Professionals Day 2009 in Augusta, hosted by the SHRM Maine State Council. About 50 something intrepid souls made the trek. This post will capture some of my notes, ideas and reflections.
The most important issue we are facing right now is LD 1185 - An Act To Require Cause for Employment Termination. Basically, this one act eliminates at-will employment.
Some things learned, you can listen to Public Hearings and Work Sessions live on line. Go here Audio Broadcasts and click on Senate, House or committee of interest. The House and Senate also have live video feeds as well. Technology is swell, but being there is better.
Senator Peter Mills briefed us on a few issues of shared concern and interest:
- Title 26 is an employment contract for Maine
- budget structure is unsustainable
- per economist Charlie Colgan, Maine has lost 18k jobs and will lose another 18k
From the Maine DOL – Adam Fisher
- Maximize work force potential
- enforcement, labor laws and safety
- career center with newer jobs bank
- CRS # @ 623.7900, real people answer, no pressing of numbers to go no where
Hannah Pingree – Speaker of the House
- term limited at age 33
- bipartisan budget commitment with two-thirds vote required
After Hannah, Senator Rector gave us a guided tour of the capitol building.
After lunch, we who stayed sat in on the Labor Committee work session as they worked their way through five bills. Some were easy, others allowed for civil contentiousness. Sausage being made before our very eyes.
It was a good day, illustrating how personable, accessible, knowledgeable and committed Maine’s citizen legislators are. Very encouraging. The model of Maine’s Joint Committees allows for efficient legislation by getting both House and Senate involved in moving acts forward into the full legislature for final consideration – Ought to Pass, amended as needed before final consideration Ought To Pass as Amended, or Ought Not To Pass.
A final idea. I find the term Labor to be as quaint of as the term Personnel. We need to advocate that the name be changed from Labor Committee to Human Resource Committee. After all, it all comes down to us.
