FORT KENT, Maine — Nurses at Northern Maine Medical Center (NMMC) are filing an unfair labor practice charge against the hospital, claiming management has not been bargaining in good faith.
NMMC nurses voted to join the Maine State Nurses Association in January. They began negotiating a union contract with hospital management in April and have met 12 times since.
Nurses picketed outside the hospital on Wednesday, calling on management to quicken negotiations.
Ami Maxwell, a member of the union's bargaining team, said she’s frustrated by the lack of progress.
"This pace is unacceptable," she said.
With the contract, nurses are hoping for more frequent, in-person negotiations.
"We really hope that once we can get our union contract achieved, that we'll be able to improve our staffing ratios here and provide better care for our community," Brad Martinez, a member of the union’s bargaining team, said.
In a statement, NMMC said it is bargaining in good faith.
"Our nurses are very important to us and are an integral part of our success and the quality care we provide to our patients. We respect our nurses and will continue to bargain in good faith," NMMC Marketing and Communications Manager Nichole Jandreau said.
The picket comes after the closure of the hospital’s inpatient child psychiatric unit in September.
The seven-bed unit was the only one of its kind in the area. Now, the nearest facility providing similar care is in Bangor, around three hours away.
Nurses who worked in the unit have all been reassigned to other parts of the hospital. Many said they were blindsided by the decision.
"Shock, disappointment, anger," Terry Caron, a registered nurse who worked in the unit for 12 years, said. "To just shut down another unit is just a loss."
NMMC said the unit was closed as part of a move to become a critical access hospital for a more sustainable future. The designation would allow for increased federal reimbursements, according to the hospital.
As negotiations continue, the nurses remain hopeful that an agreement can be reached that protects both their rights and patient care at NMMC.
"Getting the best contract we can for the patients that we have left, so that it doesn't happen to another one of our units," Caron said.
The unfair labor practice charge will be filed with the National Labor Relations Board on Thursday. Once filed, the board will investigate and determine whether to issue a complaint against the hospital.