AUGUSTA — Workers rallied at the State House Saturday to criticize Gov. Paul LePage for rejecting an offer to extend state worker contracts with no pay raises and for his decision to hire a New York lawyer to conduct negotiations.

More than 300 people gathered outside LePage’s office at the Capitol on the same day contract negotiations were scheduled to restart.

With just days left until the June 30 contract expiration, both sides are staking out their positions on the contract for the 10,000 state workers represented by the Maine State Employees Association.

Many of the speakers at the noontime rally said LePage shouldn’t have hired Lou DiLorenzo, a labor and employment lawyer from New York who is being paid $295 an hour.

“The governor has hired a New York City lawyer to do his dirty work,” said Jonathan French, a Department of Transportation employee. “The governor has chosen to create more conflict and pick another fight with Maine workers by bringing in a hatchet man from New York City.”

Earlier in the week, the union said it offered to continue its current contract with no raises or contract language changes for two years. DiLorenzo told the Kennebec Journal he made a counter offer to extend the contract for one year with no changes, but that was rejected by the union.

DiLorenzo said in reviewing the contract, he found areas that he felt resulted in “unnecessary costs to taxpayers” that need to be addressed.

One involved telephone subsidies paid to about 1,700 workers, many of whom also have state-issued cellphones. Another was the state’s obligation to continue to pay union member salaries while they attend union meetings.

He also expressed concern about the “fair share” provision in the contract, which requires nonunion state workers to pay a portion of union dues. Finally, he said the state’s method for reclassifying workers was “antiquated” and had not been updated since the 1970s.

At the rally, the workers held signs expressing their frustration with LePage, a Republican who took office in January. As they put on the now-familiar purple MSEA T-shirts that have been a frequent sight at the State House this year, they listened to music including “Won’t Back Down” by Tom Petty and “We’re Not Gonna Take It” by Twisted Sister.

DOT worker Tony Gonzales said workers don’t feel appreciated by the current administration.

“In my DOT region, which covers a quarter of the state, over the years we’ve gone from 400 people taking care of the roads to 168 workers,” he said. “That’s a pretty tight crew to cover such a huge part of our state. We’re efficient. We’re accountable.”

The state workers were joined by millworkers and shipbuilders who expressed solidarity with fellow union members.

“Gov. LePage’s all-out assault on Maine workers has started us down a road to nowhere,” said Emery Deabay, a Bucksport paper mill worker. “Nothing good will come of attacking workers.”

After the rally, the group marched past the Blaine House down State Street chanting “Hey Hey, Ho Ho, the New York lawyer has got to go!”

MaineToday Media State House Writer Susan Cover can be contacted at 620-7015 or at:

scover@mainetoday.com