Coalition for Maine Women

December 2009

Dear Lawmaker,

As we prepare to welcome 2010, a new year and a new decade, the Coalition for Maine Women wants to share with you some of our recent changes. You may remember us by a different name, the Women’s Leadership Action Coalition.  We are a group of over 30 organizations committed for over 20 years to economic security, civil rights, and freedom from violence for women and girls.

We’d like to share with you a few of our New Year’s resolutions, with the hope that you will adopt them as well:

Protect public health and personal safety: Pass paid sick days and encourage your colleagues to do the same.
When you work hard in Maine, you should be able to care for yourself and your family when illness strikes, especially in the case of a public health crisis such as the pandemic flu. Unfortunately, nearly 250,000 workers in Maine are denied even a single paid sick day. Employees are faced with an unfair choice – either come to work sick and risk spreading their illness or stay home and risk losing a day’s pay…or even their job.

Keep Maine’s Food Supply DECA-Free
No one should have to worry about toxic chemicals contaminating their food.  But the manufacturers of DECA, the toxic flame retardant already banned from use in consumer products, have found another way to sell their dangerous product.  DECA is now being used in the plastic pallets used to ship and store produce. Because DECA is unstable, it will quickly leach into the food, air, and water nearby – ending up in humans (DECA is increasingly found in human bodies and breast milk and in wildlife, leading to serious health effects. These findings means our food can be contaminated in transport between farms and the store shelves. It is time to close the DECA loopholes so we don’t have to guess where this toxic chemical will turn up next.

Our state budget is a reflection of our shared values.
Our budget allows Maine people to work together for the common good and solve problems jointly that would be impossible to address on our own. Maine’s prosperity depends on the strength of our public structures and systems.

All budget balancing options must be fully considered.  In good times and in bad, spending cuts, the use of cash reserves, and the need for revenue should all be considered in meeting Maine’s needs.  By working together to find solutions that raise resources fairly and invest resources wisely, we can maintain our economic and community infrastructure and promote shared prosperity.

Additionally, the Coalition for Maine Women will be working on two federal policies that foster economic security for Maine women: the Paycheck Fairness Act and the reauthorization of the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. The Paycheck Fairness Act won passage in the U.S. House, however without support from our Senators Snowe and Collins Maine women will continue to bring home 76 cents for every dollar earned. This bill will also prohibit employer retaliation and allow for the collection of valuable wage data. Because TANF is up for reauthorization in 2010, we have an extraordinary opportunity to strengthen this program and work to ensure economic security for Maine families.

We wish you a happy and productive new year and look forward to fulfilling these resolutions together.

Sincerely,

Coalition for Maine Women