Maine Senate President Troy Jackson Friday once again defended his decision to criticize the hiring practices of Bath Iron Works’ parent company, at a time when he had been hired to work with a machinists union that's affiliated with the shipyard.
Speaking to reporters at the State House, Jackson, a Democrat, tried to emphasize that his four-month contract with the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers was strictly related to his long-running efforts to negotiate on behalf of loggers.
Jackson is fending off criticism from Senate Republican leaders that he had the appearance of a conflict of interest when he and House Speaker Sara Gideon in December wrote to shipyard owner General Dynamics and suggested that the company was not fulfilling the obligations of a $45 million tax break the Legislature approved two years ago.
"I very much feel like this is a corporation that doesn't like being held accountable, that's certainly put out some type of hit-job on me," Jackson said.
The Bangor Daily Newsreports that the December letterwas sent during a labor dispute between General Dynamics and the largest union, the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers Local S6, an affiliate of the labor group Jackson worked for and disclosed in financial reports last summer.
In the letter, Gideon and Jackson said there's evidence that the company has not lived up to its end of the tax break deal, citing low wages and the hiring of contract workers.
The shipyard union released a statement Thursday saying it was glad that legislative leaders were examining the shipyards hiring of contract workers.
Jackson said Friday that he supports the shipyard and had no plans to submit a bill to rollback the tax break, but added that he does want to make sure the company is keeping its promises to Maine taxpayers.
