I am a state employee, a proud union member, and strong supporter of the PRO Act. This legislation, which is currently before Congress, would repeal anti-labor laws that allow corporations to bust unions without penalties and prevent workers from forming unions to bargain for better wages and working conditions and a voice in the workplace. As a longtime Susan Collins voter, I was disappointed to hear that she does not support this important legislation and I hope she will reconsider her position.

The employer/employee relationship does not need to be adversarial. However, since President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Wagner Act in 1935, which established the National Labor Relations Board to encourage collective bargaining and handle labor disputes; corporate lobbyists and anti-union politicians have slowly stripped away workers’ rights and protections.

We, the middle class — and those aspiring to live a comfortable lifestyle that provides safe working conditions, livable wages, quality health insurance, and retirement security — need to band together and take America back. Corporations are forcing employees to work longer hours, eliminating benefits, and creating an economy where low-wage gig and temporary work are considered normal.

Folks, the systematic dismantling of the middle class needs to stop. The days when a single income allowed working class people to own a home, raise a family, and go on vacation are gone. It’s no coincidence that in the 1950s when we had a strong middle class, one in three US workers also belonged to a union. The PRO Act will put all working people on more equal footing regardless of race, religion, creed, sexuality, or gender identity. Higher wages improve the tax base, volunteering, charitable donations, school systems, cultural advances, and community pride.

It’s time to restore the National Labor Relations Act to its original purpose and pass the PRO Act.

Christopher French

Vassalboro