NMMC Nurses Speak Out After Union Vote

FORT KENT, Maine (WAGM) - Registered nurses at Northern Maine Medical Center in Fort Kent voted Wednesday evening to retain their union representation, rejecting an effort to decertify the union that was formed in 2024. Nurses at Northern Maine Medical Center initially voted in January of 2024 to unionize and since April of 2024 union members and hospital management have continued contract negotiations. Nurses say the process has been long and slow, but after this latest vote they say their hope is renewed.

Terry Caron, Adult Psychiatric Nurse at NMMC said: “I voted yes to keep the union. The vote itself was validating that we’re here to stay, that a majority of nurses this is what we want. This is what we’re working hard towards for our patients, for our community, and to provide the best care that we can.”

Nurses claim hospital management has deliberately slowed negotiations, saying they have met for bargaining only once in the last four months. Caron: “Management has put up roadblocks, tried to delay the process. This decertification was another attempt at delay. So, hopefully with this new vote out of the way and nurses having spoken once again we will be able to get back to work in negotiating our first contract.”

Some nurses have raised concerns about workplace treatment, including allegations of retaliation and interference involving union related materials. Caron: “Within the last 10 months they’ve given hospital wide two 3% increases to everyone except nurses and this second one they announced the night before the vote was to be held. That can be seen as an act of intimidation maybe to maybe sway the way some voted.”

Nurses say after voting to retain their union representation, they are ready to return to the bargaining table with hospital leaders to work toward a first contract. WAGM has reached out to Northern Maine Medical Center for comment on the nurse’s vote and are waiting to hear back.