MMC Nurses Lose Paid-Leave Benefits
Image: Maine State Nurses Association/National Nurses United
Nurses at Maine Medical Center in Portland were greeted with less than holiday cheer after the hospital announced that union nurses were stripped of their paid leave for bereavement, jury duty, military service, and eligibility for paid parental leave. The nurses, part of the Maine State Nurses Association, held a press conference outside the hospital after the announcement was made.
"The theft of these longstanding paid benefits from Maine Med nurses has already had a devastating impact on us," Katrine Fesmire, an operating room nurse, said.
In an internal email dated December 15th obtained by Maine's Total Coverage, Maine Med's director of labor relations sent an email announcing the changes.
Furthermore, nurses would no longer be eligible for paid parental leave. The changes to the benefits came only a few months after nurses voted to ratify their first union contract. The union's contract with the hospital went into effect on September 22nd, 2022.
"Shame on Maine Medical Center for this retaliation against nurses and shame on this healthcare system that punishes its workers instead of rewarding them," said Emma Cooper, a registered nurse.
In a written public statement, a spokesperson for Maine Medical Center wrote: "During the course of negotiations, there were no proposals made by nurses’ representatives concerning paid leave that the union has expressed concerns about today. Had such a proposal been made MMC would have considered and bargained over it in good faith."
The spokesperson further explained that the current collective bargaining agreement expires on December 31st, 2025.
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MMC Statement
Nurse.org reached out to Maine Medical Center and received the following statement, “The collective bargaining agreement that was finalized in September after more than a year of negotiation spells out the terms and conditions of employment for nurses at Maine Medical Center, including compensation and benefits. All parties are subject to the contract’s terms and conditions as a matter of federal law. During the course of negotiations, there were no proposals made by nurses’ representatives concerning paid leave that the union has expressed concerns about. Had such a proposal been made MMC would have considered and bargained over it in good faith. Our collective bargaining agreement outlines the process for working together to find a resolution.”
The Maine State Nurses Association and National Nurses Organizing Committee stated in an email to Nurse.org that the union has filed a formal grievance against management's decision.
