Members of two of Maine’s larger public employee unions have voted to ratify contracts effectively implementing right to work provisions in the state for the first time. The Maine State Employees Association (MSEA) and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSME) accepted two year contracts that specifically eliminates the current requirement that non-union member employees pay “agency fees” to the union for the ‘benefits’ and representation they receive, even as non-members. Ratification of the contracts, which include 6 percent increases, represents a significant victory for Governor Paul LePage who has been a strong advocate for right to work in Maine throughout his tenure as Governor. He pushed hard for passage of right to work legislation earlier this year, but was unsuccessful. First elected in 2010 and reelected in 2014, LePage is term-limited and cannot seek a third term. Elsewhere on the right to work front, the National Right to Work foundation has asked SCOTUS to rule on the case of Janus v AFSCME and outlaw mandatory union fees from public employees. Although the case only involves public employees and wouldn’t have a direct impact on private sector employees, such a defeat for organized labor would indeed be a significant one.