BREWER – Area labor leaders Monday compared Maine workers’ struggles in the early 20th century to secure living wages, benefits and safe working conditions with the trials many residents face today as manufacturing jobs continue to disappear and American firms move offshore.

About two dozen people, including U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud, gathered Monday afternoon at the Greater Bangor Area Central Labor Council to mark Labor Day in a year that has not been kind to Maine’s working men and women.

“Labor Day was first observed on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, when 20,000 workers hit the streets seeking eight hours for work, eight hours for rest and eight hours for recreation,” Kendell Dunbar, vice president of the council, told the group.

“I’m concerned that we’ve forgotten what was fought for,” the Bucksport resident said. “Unless we make some changes and soon, history is going to repeat itself and we’ll be marching in the streets again.”

Michaud, who worked at Great Northern Paper Co. in East Millinocket for 30 years before being elected to Congress two years ago, announced at the event that today he would introduce a bill designed to provide relief for unemployed Maine workers.

Called the Invest in American Workers Act, Michaud said that its passage would provide dislocated workers, their families and communities access to additional resources.

“The fact that we need this bill so badly today is just another reason why we need to reform our trade policies to begin with,” he said. “People don’t want aid. They want their jobs. Instead of giving emergency aid to save people and entire towns in Maine, wouldn’t it be better to reform our trade laws so our businesses stand a fighting chance?”

Michaud’s bill would amend the Trade Adjustment Assistance Act, which assists workers who have lost jobs because of the impact of foreign imports. If passed, the measure would:

. Establish a Community Trade Adjustment Assistance Program at the Department of Commerce that would create a grant program to allow communities hit by plant closings and layoffs to develop strategic plans for economic adjustment and diversification.

. Allow individuals who qualify for the Health Care Tax Credit to be reimbursed or given advance credit for 100 percent of their health care costs instead of the current 65 percent.

. Allow eligible workers receiving TAA to access their remaining GI benefits.

. Expand penalty-free withdrawals from 401(k) retirement plans during periods of unemployment.

. Extend TAA benefits to service-sector workers who have lost jobs.

Michaud also thanked union members for “fighting for issues that affect working families,” such as raising the minimum wage and lowering the price of prescription drugs for senior citizens.