An Act Providing Labor Unions with Reasonable Access to Current and Newly Hired Public Sector Workers
Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 1451
Committee: Labor and Housing
Sponsors: PLUECKER, JACKSON, GIDEON, SYLVESTER
Amends: 26 MRSA §975, 26 MRSA §979-T, 26 MRSA §1037, 26 MRSA §1295

Legislative Document
No. 1451
H.P. 1063
House of Representatives, April 2, 2019
An Act Providing Labor Unions with Reasonable Access to Current 
and Newly Hired Public Sector Workers
Reference to the Committee on Labor and Housing suggested and ordered printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative PLUECKER of Warren.
Cosponsored by President JACKSON of Aroostook and
Representatives: Speaker GIDEON of Freeport, SYLVESTER of Portland.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  26 MRSA §975 is enacted to read:
§975.  Bargaining agent access
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 employees on the premises of the public 
employer's workplace during the work day to investigate and discuss grievances, 
workplace-related complaints and other workplace issues;
B.  The right to conduct workplace meetings during lunch and other breaks, and 
before and after the work day, on the public employer's premises to discuss 
workplace issues, collective bargaining negotiations, the administration of collective 
bargaining agreements and other matters related to the duties of a bargaining agent 
and internal bargaining agent matters involving the governance or the business of the 
bargaining agent;
C.  The right to meet with newly hired employees, without charge to the pay or leave 
time of the employees, for a minimum of 30 minutes, not later than 10 calendar days 
after receipt of the information provided pursuant to subsection 2, during new 
employee orientations or, if the employer does not conduct new employee 
orientations, at individual or group meetings; and
D.  The right to use the e-mail system of a public employer to communicate with 
bargaining unit members regarding official bargaining agent matters including, but 
not limited to, elections, meetings and social activities, as long as the use of the 
e-mail system does not create an unreasonable burden on the public employer's 
network capabilities or system administration.
2.  Bargaining agent access to employee information.  Public employers shall 
provide to a bargaining agent access to information about members of the bargaining unit 
that the bargaining agent exclusively represents, as follows.
A.  Not later than 10 calendar days after the date a prospective school employee 
accepts an offer of employment or not later than 10 calendar days after the date of 
hire for all other public employees, public employers shall provide the following 
information to a bargaining agent in spreadsheet file format or another format agreed 
to by the bargaining agent:
(1)  Name;
(2)  Job title;
(3)  Workplace location;
(4)  Home address;
(5)  Work telephone numbers;
(6)  Home telephone and personal cellular telephone numbers, if known;
(7)  Work e-mail address;
(8)  Personal e-mail address, if known; and
(9)  Date of hire.
B.  The following are not public records as defined in Title 1, section 402, subsection 
and are confidential and may not be disclosed by the public employer, except as 
provided in paragraph A:
(1)  Home addresses, home or personal telephone numbers, personal e-mail 
addresses and dates of birth of employees;
(2)  Names of employees within a bargaining unit; and
(3)  Communications between a bargaining agent and its members.
3.  Bargaining agent access to government buildings and facilities.  The 
bargaining agent has the right to use government buildings and other facilities that are 
owned or leased by government entities to conduct meetings with bargaining unit 
members regarding bargaining negotiations, the administration of collective bargaining 
agreements, the investigation of grievances, other workplace-related complaints and 
issues and internal matters involving the governance or business of the bargaining agent, 
as long as that use does not interfere with governmental operations.  A bargaining agent 
conducting a meeting in a government building or facility pursuant to this section may be 
charged for maintenance, security and other costs related to the use of the government 
building or facility that would not otherwise be incurred by the government entity.
Nothing in this section may be construed to limit the terms of a collective bargaining 
agreement that provide a bargaining agent with greater rights of access to employees than 
the rights established by this section.
Sec. 2.  26 MRSA §979-T is enacted to read:
§979-T.  Bargaining agent access
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 employees on the premises of the public 
employer's workplace during the work day to investigate and discuss grievances, 
workplace-related complaints and other workplace issues;
B.  The right to conduct workplace meetings during lunch and other breaks, and 
before and after the work day, on the public employer's premises to discuss 
workplace issues, collective bargaining negotiations, the administration of collective 
bargaining agreements and other matters related to the duties of a bargaining agent 
and internal bargaining agent matters involving the governance or the business of the 
bargaining agent;
C.  The right to meet with newly hired employees, without charge to the pay or leave 
time of the employees, for a minimum of 30 minutes, not later than 10 calendar days 
after receipt of the information provided pursuant to subsection 2, during new 
employee orientations or, if the employer does not conduct new employee 
orientations, at individual or group meetings; and
D.  The right to use the e-mail system of a public employer to communicate with 
bargaining unit members regarding official bargaining agent matters including, but 
not limited to, elections, meetings and social activities, as long as the use of the 
e-mail system does not create an unreasonable burden on the public employer's 
network capabilities or system administration.
2.  Bargaining agent access to employee information.  Public employers shall 
provide to a bargaining agent access to information about members of the bargaining unit 
that the bargaining agent exclusively represents, as follows.
A.  Not later than 10 calendar days after the date a prospective school employee 
accepts an offer of employment or not later than 10 calendar days after the date of 
hire for all other state employees and legislative employees, public employers shall 
provide the following information to a bargaining agent in spreadsheet file format or 
another format agreed to by the bargaining agent:
(1)  Name;
(2)  Job title;
(3)  Workplace location;
(4)  Home address;
(5)  Work telephone numbers;
(6)  Home telephone and personal cellular telephone numbers, if known;
(7)  Work e-mail address;
(8)  Personal e-mail address, if known; and
(9)  Date of hire.
B.  The following are not public records as defined in Title 1, section 402, subsection 
and are confidential and may not be disclosed by the public employer, except as 
provided in paragraph A:
(1)  Home addresses, home or personal telephone numbers, personal e-mail 
addresses and dates of birth of employees;
(2)  Names of employees within a bargaining unit; and
(3)  Communications between a bargaining agent and its members.
3.  Bargaining agent access to government buildings and facilities.  The 
bargaining agent has the right to use government buildings and other facilities that are 
owned or leased by government entities to conduct meetings with bargaining unit 
members regarding bargaining negotiations, the administration of collective bargaining 
agreements, the investigation of grievances, other workplace-related complaints and 
issues and internal matters involving the governance or business of the bargaining agent, 
as long as that use does not interfere with governmental operations.  A bargaining agent 
conducting a meeting in a government building or facility pursuant to this section may be 
charged for maintenance, security and other costs related to the use of the government 
building or facility that would not otherwise be incurred by the government entity.
Nothing in this section may be construed to limit the terms of a collective bargaining 
agreement that provide a bargaining agent with greater rights of access to employees than 
the rights established by this section.
Sec. 3.  26 MRSA §1037 is enacted to read:
§1037.  Bargaining agent access
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 right to meet with individual employees on the premises of the university's, 
academy's or community college's workplace during the work day to investigate and 
discuss grievances, workplace-related complaints and other workplace issues;
B.  The right to conduct workplace meetings during lunch and other breaks, and 
before and after the work day, on the university's, academy's or community college's 
premises to discuss workplace issues, collective bargaining negotiations, the 
administration of collective bargaining agreements and other matters related to the 
duties of a bargaining agent and internal bargaining agent matters involving the 
governance or the business of the bargaining agent;
C.  The right to meet with newly hired employees, without charge to the pay or leave 
time of the employees, for a minimum of 30 minutes, not later than 10 calendar days 
after receipt of the information provided pursuant to subsection 2, during new 
employee orientations or, if the university, academy or community college does not 
conduct new employee orientations, at individual or group meetings; and
D.  The right to use the e-mail system of the university, academy or community 
college to communicate with bargaining unit members regarding official bargaining 
agent matters including, but not limited to, elections, meetings and social activities, 
as long as the use of the e-mail system does not create an unreasonable burden on the 
university's, academy's or community college's network capabilities or system 
administration.
2.  Bargaining agent access to employee information.  The university, academy or 
community college shall provide to a bargaining agent access to information about 
members of the bargaining unit that the bargaining agent exclusively represents, as 
follows.
A.  Not later than 10 calendar days after the date a prospective school employee 
accepts an offer of employment or not later than 10 calendar days after the date of 
hire for all other university, academy or community college employees, the 
university, academy or community college shall provide the following information to 
a bargaining agent in spreadsheet file format or another format agreed to by the 
bargaining agent:
(1)  Name;
(2)  Job title;
(3)  Workplace location;
(4)  Home address;
(5)  Work telephone numbers;
(6)  Home telephone and personal cellular telephone numbers, if known;
(7)  Work e-mail address;
(8)  Personal e-mail address, if known; and
(9)  Date of hire.
B.  The following are not public records as defined in Title 1, section 402, subsection 
and are confidential and may not be disclosed by the university, academy or 
community college, except as provided in paragraph A:
(1)  Home addresses, home or personal telephone numbers, personal e-mail 
addresses and dates of birth of employees;
(2)  Names of employees within a bargaining unit; and
(3)  Communications between a bargaining agent and its members.
3.  Bargaining agent access to university, academy or community college 
buildings and facilities.  The bargaining agent has the right to use university, academy 
and community college buildings and other facilities that are owned or leased by the 
university, academy or community college to conduct meetings with bargaining unit 
members regarding bargaining negotiations, the administration of collective bargaining 
agreements, the investigation of grievances, other workplace-related complaints and 
issues and internal matters involving the governance or business of the bargaining agent, 
as long as that use does not interfere with operations.  A bargaining agent conducting a 
meeting in a university, academy or community college building or facility pursuant to 
this section may be charged for maintenance, security and other costs related to the use of 
the university, academy or community college building or facility that would not 
otherwise be incurred by the university, academy or community college.
Nothing in this section may be construed to limit the terms of a collective bargaining 
agreement that provide a bargaining agent with greater rights of access to employees than 
the rights established by this section.
Sec. 4.  26 MRSA §1295 is enacted to read:
§1295.  Bargaining agent access
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 employees on the premises of the public 
employer's workplace during the work day to investigate and discuss grievances, 
workplace-related complaints and other workplace issues;
B.  The right to conduct workplace meetings during lunch and other breaks, and 
before and after the work day, on the public employer's premises to discuss 
workplace issues, collective bargaining negotiations, the administration of collective 
bargaining agreements and other matters related to the duties of a bargaining agent 
and internal bargaining agent matters involving the governance or the business of the 
bargaining agent;
C.  The right to meet with newly hired employees, without charge to the pay or leave 
time of the employees, for a minimum of 30 minutes, not later than 10 calendar days 
after receipt of the information provided pursuant to subsection 2, during new 
employee orientations or, if the employer does not conduct new employee 
orientations, at individual or group meetings; and
D.  The right to use the e-mail system of a public employer to communicate with 
bargaining unit members regarding official bargaining agent matters including, but 
not limited to, elections, meetings and social activities, as long as the use of the 
e-mail system does not create an unreasonable burden on the public employer's 
network capabilities or system administration.
2.  Bargaining agent access to employee information.  Public employers shall 
provide to a bargaining agent access to information about members of the bargaining unit 
that the bargaining agent exclusively represents, as follows.
A.  Not later than 10 calendar days after the date of hire for all judicial employees, 
public employers shall provide the following information to a bargaining agent in 
spreadsheet file format or another format agreed to by the bargaining agent:
(1)  Name;
(2)  Job title;
(3)  Workplace location;
(4)  Home address;
(5)  Work telephone numbers;
(6)  Home telephone and personal cellular telephone numbers, if known;
(7)  Work e-mail address;
(8)  Personal e-mail address, if known; and
(9)  Date of hire.
B.  The following are not public records as defined in Title 1, section 402, subsection 
and are confidential and may not be disclosed by the public employer, except as 
provided in paragraph A:
(1)  Home addresses, home or personal telephone numbers, personal e-mail 
addresses and dates of birth of employees;
(2)  Names of employees within a bargaining unit; and
(3)  Communications between a bargaining agent and its members.
3.  Bargaining agent access to government buildings and facilities.  The 
bargaining agent has the right to use government buildings and other facilities that are 
owned or leased by government entities to conduct meetings with bargaining unit 
members regarding bargaining negotiations, the administration of collective bargaining 
agreements, the investigation of grievances, other workplace-related complaints and 
issues and internal matters involving the governance or business of the bargaining agent, 
as long as that use does not interfere with governmental operations.  A bargaining agent 
conducting a meeting in a government building or facility pursuant to this section may be 
charged for maintenance, security and other costs related to the use of the government 
building or facility that would not otherwise be incurred by the government entity.
Nothing in this section may be construed to limit the terms of a collective bargaining 
agreement that provide a bargaining agent with greater rights of access to employees than 
the rights established by this section.
SUMMARY
This bill makes changes to the laws governing collective bargaining for municipal 
employees, state employees, judicial employees and employees of the University of 
Maine System, the Maine Maritime Academy and the Maine Community College System 
to provide a collective bargaining agent with greater access to employees and employee 
information for those employees represented by that collective bargaining agent.  It also 
provides a collective bargaining agent with the right to use any government building or 
facility to conduct meetings with its members, as long as that use does not interfere with 
governmental operations.  The government entity may charge the collective bargaining 
agent for any additional costs that use may incur.