The Maine Restaurant Association has vehemently come out against the Maine Small Business Investment Protection Act (LD 1458), the Maine Association of Realtors is also opposing the bill. Both the Maine Restaurant Association and the Maine Association of Realtors have taken the same position as the International Franchise Association (IFA), McDonalds, and Marriott Hotels against […]
Calling All Maine Franchisees & Franchise Owners
Once Again Calling All Maine Franchisees & Franchise Owners All Brands, All Industries are Invited! The Labor Commerce and Economic Development (LCRED) has delayed once again, this time to this Thursday, January 30, 2014. We are very, very, close to getting a Positive Report and moving on to the House and Senate. Show the legislators […]
The IFA is Not Pulling Punches
Yesterday the IFA sent a letter to its members alerting them to the pending doom, and that the sky will fall in Maine if the Labor Commerce and Economic Development Committee votes “ought to pass” on the “5 Principles” of the Maine Small Business Investment Act. They have organized a Town Hall Telephone Call for […]
Five Key Principles for the Maine Small Business Investment Protection Act
The Labor, Commerce and Economic Development Committee (LCRED) held a work session yesterday on LD 1458, the Maine Small Business Investment Protection Act. The work session was open to the public, but the Co-Chairs of the Committee decided that comments were not invited from the public, but the committee members and LCRED counsel spoke. There […]
MFOA Board Votes to Ratify the Universal Franchisee Bill of Rights
The Board of Directors of the Maine Franchise Owners Association (MFOA) voted unanimously to ratify the Universal Franchisee Bill of Rights. MFOA joins 19 other franchisee associations that have voted to ratify the Universal Franchisee Bill of Rights. The intent of the document is to spell out a framework of a mutually beneficial relationship between […]
Is Franchising Highly Regulated?
The International Franchise Association an opponent of franchise-protection legislation argue that franchising is already a “highly regulated industry.” This contention seems highly suspect considering the many blatant stories of franchise abuse by shady companies that violate franchise disclosure laws with impunity, and established franchisors who seem to hold all the cards in the franchise relationship. […]
Universal Franchisee Bill of Rights Makes An Impact
The Universal Franchisee Bill of Rights (UFBOR) was released in August 2011 and to date has over 1,200 franchisees, friends of franchisees, and franchisee associations that have endorsed it. The UFBOR was created by franchisees for franchisees as a fairness doctrine, and the goal was to highlight the imbalance in the relationship between franchisees and […]
The IFA Has No Risk by Claiming “the Sky is Falling” in Maine
Recently the International Franchise Association (IFA) sent out its IFA Insider Newsletter (Vol. 19, Issue No. 47 ) with the following wake-up call to franchisors “next month the Maine legislature will address LD 1458 (Maine Small Business Investment Protection Act), the most far-reaching and harmful franchise relationship legislation in any state in the country”. They […]
ABA Legal Wizard Abrams Asks for Good Faith in Franchise Law Reform
Enact State and Federal Good Faith & Fair Dealing laws to overrule devious franchise contract provisions. Janet Sparks writes at Blue MauMau that franchisee attorney Lee Abrams had no problem playing along with last year’s American Bar Association Forum on Franchising’s theme in its plenary session, “If I Had a Wizard’s Wand,” expressing his wish […]
First Annual Maine Franchise Owners Franchise Business Day and Legislators Meet & Greet set for January 29th
The Maine franchise owner community is invited to attend the First Annual Maine Franchise Owners Franchise Business Day and Legislators Forum on January 29, 2014. The event will begin at 1 p.m with the “Franchise Business Day” forum to share timely information, best practices and resources for Maine franchise owners. A Franchise Owner and Legislators […]