Nurses at 2 northern Maine hospitals vote to strike

File photo / Courtesy of Northern Maine Medical Center Nurses at Fort Kent's Northern Maine Medical Center, shown here, and at Houlton Regional Hospital, have voted to strike over staffing and salary issues. No date has been set for the planned action.

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By Renee Cordes

With contract negotiations stalled, nurses at Northern Maine Medical Center in Fort Kent and at Houlton Regional Hospital have voted to strike over staffing and salary issues. They have not set a date for the strike.

Nurses at both facilities are bargaining for their first union contract since voting to join the Maine State Nurses Association in January 2024. The group, part of the National Nurses Organizing Committee, represents 4,000 nurses and other caregivers statewide.

More recently, Houlton nurses spoke out in April against that hospital’s plans to close its labor, delivery, recovery and postpartum unit.

“We have been at the bargaining table for 16 months,” said Brad Martinez, a registered nurse in the emergency room and bargaining team member at Northern Maine Medical Center.

"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,” he added. "We are fighting for patient safety and the ability to recruit and retain nurses at our hospital."

Brooke Howland, an acute care nurse at Houlton Regional Hospital, criticized that facility’s administration for “delay after delay” after the last contract expired in November 2024.

“We want safe staffing so we can give our patients the best care,” she added. “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.”

The tensions come amid steepening financial pressures on hospitals in nationwide. Just this week, Northern Light Health reduced its workforce by 3% and closed its walk-in clinic in Bangor.

'Continue to bargain'

Northern Maine Medical Center and Houlton Regional Hospital are both led by CEO Jeff Zewe, who began his tenure at Houlton Regional Hospital only three months ago.

“We have begun much needed work to focus on continued outstanding patient care and stabilize our financial position,” he said in a press release ahead of Friday’s planned negotiation session. “We have been and will continue to bargain in good faith to come to an agreement on a new contract.”

Zewe said the talks come amid the addition of services at the hospital including cardiology, pain management, orthopedics and urology and recruitment of additional primary care and outpatient behavioral health providers.

“This is an exciting time for HRH and our community,” he said.

In a separate release, Northern Maine Medical Center said that its registered nurses earn the highest base rates of pay in Aroostook County. The hospital also said that it has stabilized its financial position, minimized monthly losses and realigned services to better meet the needs of the region without resorting to layoffs.

“This amazing result is a direct reflection of everyone’s hard work that has enabled us to respond to our patients’ needs under difficult circumstances,” Zewe said. “Our staff’s dedication has not only preserved care close to home but strengthened it for the future.”

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