To the editor:
The 2024 elections are coming to an end and everyone now pushes to be heard and the days are getting short.
In your publication dated Oct, 23, Corey Pelletier, president, USW, Local 365, who represents his members at our local paper mill, Twin Rivers in Madawaska, seemed to question Rep. Austin Theriault and myself about our objectives of our results in an agreement with the state of Maine about our roads in northern Maine. He goes on to say that “any projects happening now would have been approved long before Roger and Austin were elected to office.” Little does he know how politics works.
Rep. Austin Theriault and myself were both on the transportation committee. The Maine Department of Transportation comes under this committee’s discretion. Our committee works closely with MDOT, the state police, and others in Maine to provide safe and problem-free travels on our highways. The MDOT commissioner, Bruce Van Note, along with Tina Wickewnheiser, assistant commissioner, who is now a member of the Maine Turnpike Authority Board, was a local girl and showed Van Note our roads. Needless to say, Van Note agreed and said that our roads needed attention. This is what happened.I sent a letter to Van Note and thanked him for being a “man of his word.”
LD 1636, An Act to Ensure the Right to Work Without Payment of Dues or Fees to a Labor Union, as read, has nothing to do with what Corey Pelletier is claiming. He seems to have dual or triple issues going on at the same time. I have worked for 33 years as a union member, formerly at Fraser Paper and now known as Twin Rivers. I am collecting my retirement pay from the mill, not the union.
I will continue to serve the people of my district, whether they voted for me or not, Democrat or Republican, Black or White. They are the people of my district. It is and always will be people over politics.
Rep. Roger C. Albert
District 2
