Maine state governor Paul LePage has ordered the removal of a mural depicting Maine’s laboru history from the lobby of the Department of Labor:
Acting labor chief Laura Boyett emailed staff Tuesday about the mural’s pending removal, as well as another administration directive to rename several department conference rooms that carry the names of pro-labor icons such as Cesar Chavez.
According to LePage spokesman Dan Demeritt, the administration felt the mural and the conference room monikers showed “one-sided decor” not in keeping with the department’s pro-business goals.
“The message from state agencies needs to be balanced,” said Demeritt, adding that the mural had sparked complaints from “some business owners” who complained it was hostile to business.
Sailliant detail: one of the conference rooms to be renamed was named after Frances Perkins, U.S. labor secretary under Franklin D. Roosevelt, who came involved in labour reform after the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, whose 100th anniversary is this Friday….