BRUNSWICK, Me.—Maine labor unions have condemned Sen. Susan Collins’ votes to confirm Eugene Scalia as Secretary of Labor. “We are very disappointed with Senator Susan Collins for allowing this man to take over the Department of Labor where he can do the bidding of billionaires and multinational corporations by further trampling on workers’ rights and making it harder and more dangerous to make a living in this country,” Maine AFL-CIO president Cynthia Phinney said in a statement. “Senator Collins has shown which side she works for.” Collins joined the party-line majority in the Senate’s 53-44 vote to confirm Scalia Sept. 26, and also cast the deciding vote Sept. 24 to advance his nomination out of committee. “Senator Collins rubber-stamped this extremely unqualified nominee for this critical position,” said the Maine State Employees Association, Service Employees International Union Local 1989, noting that the state’s other senator, independent Angus King, had voted no. In 2007, Scalia represented the Bath Iron Works shipyard, one of Maine’s five largest employers, when it won a court decision that let it unilaterally alter workers’ pension plans. The International Association of Machinists, which represents 3,600 Bath workers, said it would “be watching” him. Read more
