Mayor Larry Gilbert is one of the many public figures that have stepped up to voice support for the Employee Free Choice Act in Maine. "The reason why I support the Employee Free Choice Act is because I remember the working conditions as a patrol officer, when I just started. They were terrible." Larry continued "I feel that if employees wish to join a union they have that right."
Mayor Larry Gilbert started his carrier of public service as a patrolman and rose to the rank of Commissioner of the Lewiston Police before retiring. During his twenty-five years with the Lewiston Police he helped form, first, a union for lower ranking police officers and later a union for higher ranking police officers. Larry joked "I’m not in a union now; unfortunately there is no union for mayors."
Larry has acted on his convictions. Last month he was part of a delegation to Washington that met with Senator’s Snowe and Collins, to urge them to support the bill. As recently as Thursday Mayor Gilbert moderated a roundtable discussion on what the Employee Free Choice Act will mean for the women of Maine.
The roundtable was located in the historic Museum LA which is located in one of the former mills that defined Lewiston for generations. Click here to see some photos from the event.
The mayor concluded his interview saying "I’m hopeful that congress will pass it [The Employee Free choice Act] in this term." Well, we’re confident that with the groundswell of support by working Mainers and the help of folks like Mayor Gilbert we'll prevail- and the Employee Free choice Act will finally level the playing field