Nurses are preparing to strike at Northern Light Health’s Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor.
The hospital said Friday morning that it received a notice from the union that the nurses plan to strike on March 23.
“I really wish we didn’t have to do this, but we have to make a stand,” said Diane Alexander, a nurse and the chief steward at EMMC.
It will be the first strike at the Bangor hospital since 2015, according to the Maine State Nurses Association. The looming strike comes as both sides remain divided over staffing ratios, health insurance benefits and pay for women’s health nurses, who joined the union in 2024, during contract bargaining, according to the union.
Negotiations began in July, according to a statement from the union. The hospital’s contract with the union expired in September, and both parties agreed to an extension that expired in November, according to the hospital system.
EMMC issued a new contract offer Thursday, according to the hospital’s president, Ava Collins.
“The medical center provided the Union a very strong offer that recognizes and supports our nurses with direct investments in very competitive wages, benefits, and training and continues to support high quality care for our patients,” Collins said in a statement.
“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 added.
The union feels it’s unnecessary to take another vote because most of their concerns still have not been addressed since voting Wednesday to authorize a strike, Alexander said.
Among other requests, nurses asked the hospital to install a metal detector at the front entrance to address safety concerns. “We really don’t feel like it’s too much of an ask,” Alexander said.
She added that the union is “willing to sit down and bargain with them right up to and including the day of the strike.”
“Everything we do is to make sure our patients are safe and well taken care of,” said Erin Oberson, a nurse and a member of the union’s bargaining team.
“Everything we are asking for will improve the care of our patients. We have given management several months and every opportunity to come to a reasonable agreement with us. There is still time for them to make a deal.”
EMMC is working to have replacement nurses available through Freedom Healthcare Staffing to minimize any disruption for patients, according to Collins, and the hospital is not recommending that patients cancel their appointments.
The hospital was required to bring on the replacement nurses for multiple days, according to EMMC, so striking nurses won’t return to work until March 26.
“Although strikes are a common Union event, it’s always disheartening when this national tactic hits close to home. We value our nurses and are proud of the care we provide for our communities. We will continue to have discussion with the Union with a focus on coming to a fair and reasonable contract,” Collins said.