Deterioration of Maine workers’ rights

A lot of gas has been passed about how successful the Workers’ Compensation system is working since the Jock McKernan-led revamping of the 1980s. The trumpeters, however, are not the victims of job-related injuries. They are the enemy to those who have been business people. Certain politicians, some of whom would go beyond the destruction already rendered, would abolish it altogether if they could, in order to dance to the tunes of their constituency, in this case the business community; and especially those devils in silky suits with silkier rhetoric, the insurance hawkers of Maine.

As I approach my 66th birthday, I can attest to the deterioration of workers’ rights over a lifetime in diversified positions. I have worked as a laborer, trucker, soldier, events director of Bangor’s political football, Bass Park, and broadcaster. My allegiance now and forever will be leaning toward my fellow workers in the lesser crafts.

I am a member of a union and believe in the concept that there is strength in numbers. I have just received word from one of those insurance hawkers, an offer of settlement half the amount the state allows, demanding my insurance carrier pay half the cost of my medical bills, and insisting I drop a second lawsuit I have against the former employer responsible for my injustices. I was not allowed an attorney during the hearing leading to this point. My opponent had his there, however. Nice deal huh?

Thanks Jock and those legislators who helped his cronies. And it doesn’t seem to matter which political persuasion we are. As Gov. George Wallace once said, “They ain’t a darms wutha diffrince b’tween ‘m.” Democrat or Republican, they resemble one another more and more all the time. I’m not settling with them.

Most of us have a story to tell about an antipathetic experience with an insurance company. They advertise the security their product provides us. Invariably, there is a battle to settle requiring yet another princely lot, lawyers. The “company” keeps many on retainer so you must hire one to ward off the certain onslaught of depravity, insults and outright lies in order to get what is justly yours. It has become political rather its original idea of protecting workers. Comp came about because of the abuse employers inflicted upon so many and got caught doing it by a more caring society of politicians past.

We have in our midst in the Greater Bangor area people already in office, and others seeking office, who have tipped their hand as to their positions. One from Brewer has written about how wonderful the “new” system is working. He does this because business people are saving millions in settlement fees, always at the expense of the ordinary people. Another, who wants to represent us, runs a mall and advertises himself as one who “means business.” Do we really need another ally of the heavy hitters who demean us if we’re hurt? The types who in all likelihood would do nothing to improve upon a broken system? Our system, not theirs. Improve it for us.

If there is a “darms wutha diffrince,” ask the ones who traditionally (until recently), have represented workers best interests, the Dems. See if they have slid over to the right joining a common opponent the Rs, or if they will help fix this mess if elected as I intend to do.

If I find apathy among these wannabes, I will not vote for either. Perhaps I should run for the legislature with a sense of urgency in correcting the disservices that suffuse the Maine Workers’ Compensation system. You can’t embarrass these people because they have no consciences obviously. I can visualize them snickering under their collective arms, “we stuffed it to another sucker.”

The average Maine worker has the power to elect people who will represent the many and not just the few who hold the purse strings. We are the strength, not the business people. Even though we have no funding, or an ability to pay off politicians, we do have the most powerful tool guaranteed by our Constitution, the vote. There are more of us than them and I urge you to consider this single item as a motivating factor in how you decide what is best for us all. In concert, we are all in command and should do all we can to regain the protection from unpalatable sources bent on inflicting further pain on an already injured, usually loyal employee. They’ll be flashing their cash. You cast your vote for the people who should represent us if any exist.

George F. McCann lives in Lagrange.