Tensions rise in Maine as negotiations between union nurses and
administrators at Eastern Maine Medical Center in Bangor have stalled
hopelessly, and it now appears as if a work stoppage may be unavoidable.
Both sides met on Monday morning, but talks quickly broke down, and
shortly before noon, a federal mediator told the unionized nurses and
the hospital administration that no progress could be made. The hospital
is expecting a one-day walkout of over 800 nurses.
The President of the Nurses Union at Eastern Maine Medical Center (EMMC),
Judy Brown, wants to make sure that everyone hears what the nurses are
really bargaining for and what they feel so strongly about: safe
staffing. "We have offered to officially take wages off the table so
that there's no doubt in anybody's mind that this is about safe patient
staffing," said Brown. "The medical center is still holding firm so it's
on them at this point."
On the opposing side, Greg Howat, Vice President of Human Resources at
EMMC, said that both parties have had ample time to reconcile their
differences. "It's really not a matter of not having enough time to
reach an agreement, we've had plenty of time," he says. "It's a matter
of the inclination of the parties and there's no lack of communication.
We're very clear on our positions but we're far apart." The federal
mediator asked that the two sides not contact each other directly until
the next bargaining session. This week's scheduled negotiations were
cancelled and no further negotiations are anticipated until after
Thanksgiving.
The nurses union wants a deal that forces EMMC to follow its own
staffing guidelines, nurse-to-patient ratios the union believes will
improve patient safety. But Lorriane Rodgerson, EMMC's head nursing
officer, dismisses the notion that current staffing levels are either
unsafe or not followed. Rodgerson said that the hospital has a good plan
in place that assigns four or five nurses and an assistant per patient
during the day and six or seven plus an assistant at night. "We just had
a full federal survey. The survey was unannounced, they just showed up
at our front door," she said. Investigators reviewed the hospital's
staffing plan and compared it to actual staffing for that day and shift.
They found no concern about staffing levels. EMMC administrators also
oppose mandating staffing ratios in the union contract because of
financial worries.
Last week, the nurses announced a one-day strike scheduled for the
coming Monday, November 22. A controversial advertisement then appeared
last weekend on Craig's List, offering up to $49 an hour for replacement
nurses. Hospital officials said that they were not aware of the ad,
which was placed by an employee at a recruiting agency, and had it
removed.
The strike will cost the hospital. "It's going to be a lot of money but
we obviously have no option but to make sure that we have sufficient
nurses and other staff who are here," Howat said. Union nurses estimate
that the strike will cost the hospital over $1 million. It's not how
they would spend the money, though. "What they could do is actually hire
20 new grads full time for a year," says Brown. "That would go a long
way to help solve some of the issues."
Noting similar nursing strikes across the country, Howat acknowledged
the difficulty of resolving such a situation, but spoke with resolve. "I
think that the experience that we're both going to go through, this is a
painful process for both sides. I think we're going to find out what
it's going to take and frankly there may be more than one strike."
Currently, replacement nurses are ready to begin work on 7:00 a.m.
Saturday, when the hospital will lock out its staff nurses for two days
ahead of the Monday one-day strike planned by the nurses.