Union Taking Copy of Maine Labor Mural to Maryland Exhibit

The Teamsters Local 340 says it plans to take a copy of the labor mural Gov. Paul LePage ordered removed from the state Department of Labor to an exhibit in Maryland.

Three of the 11 labor mural panels that were removed in March from Maine's Department of Labor
A Maine union is taking copies of the labor history mural that once hung in Maine's Department of Labor on the road.

The Teamsters Local 340 says it plans to take a copy of the 11-panel mural, which Gov. Paul LePage ordered removed earlier this year from the walls of the Labor Department, to a exhibition of labor murals in Rockville, Maryland.

The mural is composed of 11 panels that depict scenes from Maine's labor history. LePage ordered it removed in March, claiming that some had complained that the work was one-sided.

"It was a sad day when our governor, Paul LePage, removed these murals because they weren't syncing with his 'pro-business' vision," says Local 340 President Ken Eaton, in a statement. "When the opportunity arose for us to transport the murals to the art exhibition space in Maryland, we immediately signed on."

The $60,000 work, by artist Judy Taylor, was commissioned by the Department of Labor and hung in 2008. It is currently being stored in an undisclosed location.

Eaton says on Monday, the union will take the copy of the Maine mural to Maryland, where it will be shown in an exhibit featuring other works by Taylor.