Registered nurses at Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor say they’re walking off the job March 23.
The strike notice to hospital administrators is the nursing union’s first since 2015.
The RNs say they are protesting management’s alleged refusal to address their “concerns about safe staffing and nurse retention.”
The nurses, whose contract expired in September, have been bargaining for a new contract since July.
Nurses say that unresolved bargaining issues include safe nurse-to-patient staffing ratios, protecting nurses’ health insurance benefits from potentially exorbitant increases and ensuring all nurses receive same benefits.
EMMC President Ava Collins said the Bangor facility provided the union with “a very strong offer” that covers competitive wages, benefits and training services.
“We believe our nurses should have the opportunity to review and vote on this offer prior to the union carrying out a strike on the medical center,” Collins said in a statement.
“While we hope the union will give their membership this chance, EMMC is prepared to continue providing care and services for our patients,” she added.
Northern Light EMMC Nurses Announce Strike For ‘Safe Patient Care And RN Retention’
By Ted Cohen
