AUGUSTA–Last month, Senate President Troy Jackson, D-Allagash, spoke with Julie Greene and Tim Schlittner from State of the Unions podcast about his journey from working in the Maine woods to being elected President of the Maine Senate by his peers in the Legislature. The episode – Out of the Woods: A Maine Union Member’s Journey from Logging to Senate President – is out today.
“I always talk about the value of everyday people running for the Legislature,” said President Jackson. “It’s that type of mindset that’s needed in legislatures across the United State to change the system.”
President Jackson spoke to the hosts about how his experience working in the Maine woods and participating in the 1998 logging blockade turned him into a fierce advocate for working people and drove him to run for office in the first place. President Jackson also spoke about recent legislative wins to improve working conditions for Maine loggers and wood haulers.
This year, the Maine Legislature passed a law providing Maine loggers and wood haulers the right form a cooperative to advocate for fair wages, safe working conditions and reasonable hours. These are the same rights that Maine potato farmers, lobstermen and other workers already enjoyed. The new law took effect on Sept. 19.
“Working-class people deserve as much of a voice as anyone here and we’re damn well going to give it,” said President Jackson.
Listen to the episode in full here.
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