Nurses on Strike: Aroostook County Hospitals in Crisis

Nurses at two Aroostook County hospitals authorized bargaining teams to call a strike

Registered nurses at Northern Maine Medical Center (NMMC) in Fort Kent, Maine, and at Houlton Regional Hospital (HRH) in Houlton, Maine, announced today that they have voted overwhelmingly to authorize their nurse bargaining teams to call a strike if the issues RNs have been raising in ongoing contract negotiations remain unresolved.

The nurses at both facilities are represented by Maine State Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee. NMMC nurses voted to join MSNA/NNOC in January 2024 and are bargaining for their first union contract. In April, Houlton nurses spoke out against the planned closure of the labor, delivery, recovery, and postpartum unit.

“WE HAVE BEEN AT THE BARGAINING TABLE FOR 16 MONTHS. WHILE WE HAVE MADE VERY REASONABLE PROPOSALS, THE HOSPITAL HAS BEEN VERY UNREASONABLE BY DRAGGING ITS FEET AND NOT MAKING ANY REAL PROGRESS ON OUR CONTRACT THIS ENTIRE TIME,” said Brad Martinez, RN in the emergency room and bargaining team member at NMMC. “WE ARE FIGHTING FOR PATIENT SAFETY AND THE ABILITY TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN NURSES AT OUR HOSPITAL. WE SHOULD BE MUCH CLOSER TO A DEAL. NURSES VOTED TO STRIKE BECAUSE THE ADMINISTRATION AT NMMC HAS NOT ADDRESSED OUR CONCERNS ABOUT SAFE STAFFING AND FAIR PAY.”

Houlton nurses share many of the same issues as nurses at NMMC, including safe staffing, recruitment and retention, and fair pay as well as frustrations with the lack of progress in bargaining for a new contract. Jeff Zewe is the CEO at both hospitals.

“OUR LAST CONTRACT EXPIRED IN NOVEMBER 2024. THE ADMINISTRATION HAS MADE DELAY AFTER DELAY,” said Brooke Howland, RN in acute care at HRH and a bargaining team member. “WE WANT SAFE STAFFING SO WE CAN GIVE OUR PATIENTS THE BEST CARE. RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION OF STAFF NURSES IS A HUGE ISSUE FOR US. IF A STRIKE IS WHAT IT TAKES FOR THE VOICES OF NURSES TO BE HEARD, THEN SO BE IT. OUR ADMINISTRATION COULD SETTLE THIS CONTRACT NOW. WE ENCOURAGE THEM TO DO SO.”

There are no dates set yet for these strikes.

Maine State Nurses Association is part of National Nurses Organizing Committee, representing 4,000 nurses and other caregivers from Portland to Fort Kent. NNOC is an affiliate of National Nurses United, the largest and fastest-growing labor union of registered nurses in the United States with more than 225,000 members nationwide.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR THE COMMUNITY?

The potential strike at these hospitals could have significant impacts on local communities and healthcare services in Aroostook County. Aroostook County is the largest county in Maine by land area, and it is sparsely populated, with a significant portion of its residents living in rural areas. The county's healthcare infrastructure is already strained, with limited access to specialized medical services and a shortage of healthcare professionals. A strike by hospital staff could exacerbate these issues, leading to further delays in treatment, reduced access to care, and potential health risks for patients.

CONTINGENCY PLANS

To mitigate these effects, contingency plans might include the following measures:

1. ACTIVATION OF EMERGENCY PROTOCOLS: Hospitals may activate emergency protocols to ensure that critical services, such as emergency rooms and intensive care units, remain operational. This could involve redeploying staff from non-essential areas to critical care units and implementing triage systems to prioritize patients based on the severity of their conditions.

2. COLLABORATION WITH OTHER HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS: Hospitals could collaborate with other healthcare providers in the region, such as clinics and nursing homes, to redistribute patient loads and ensure that essential services are maintained. This could involve transferring non-critical patients to other facilities or arranging for telemedicine consultations to reduce the burden on hospitals.

3. DEPLOYMENT OF TEMPORARY STAFF: Hospitals may deploy temporary staff, including contract workers and volunteers, to fill in for striking employees and maintain essential services. This could involve recruiting healthcare professionals from other regions or utilizing retired healthcare workers who are willing to return to work on a temporary basis.

4. PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS: Hospitals could launch public awareness campaigns to inform residents about the potential impacts of the strike and provide guidance on how to access alternative healthcare services. This could involve distributing informational materials, holding community meetings, and utilizing social media to disseminate information.

5. GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION: The state government could intervene to mediate the dispute between hospital management and staff, or to provide additional resources to support hospitals during the strike. This could involve allocating emergency funds, deploying National Guard personnel to assist with healthcare services, or implementing policies to address the underlying issues that led to the strike.

6. USE OF TECHNOLOGY: Hospitals could leverage technology to provide remote healthcare services, such as telemedicine consultations and online appointments. This could help to reduce the burden on hospitals and ensure that patients continue to receive care, even if they are unable to visit the hospital in person.

THE BOTTOM LINE

The potential strike at hospitals in Aroostook County could have significant impacts on local communities and healthcare services. However, by implementing contingency plans such as activating emergency protocols, collaborating with other healthcare providers, deploying temporary staff, launching public awareness campaigns, seeking government intervention, and utilizing technology, hospitals can mitigate these effects and ensure that essential services are maintained.