Central Maine Medical Center nurses vote on unionization

Nurses at Central Maine Medical Center (CMMC) in Lewiston are voting this Thursday on whether to join the Maine State Nurses Association. The election follows recent disciplinary actions by CMMC leadership, which included firing 15 nurses and suspending five others.

Labor organizers from the Maine State Nurses Association and the National Nurses Organizing Committee have accused the hospital’s owner, Prime Healthcare Foundation, of retaliating against staff for union activity. They intend to file federal charges alleging violations of the National Labor Relations Act. CMMC has denied these claims, stating the disciplinary actions were due to violations of hospital policy and were unrelated to unionization efforts.

The vote, conducted via paper ballot, requires certification by the National Labor Relations Board to become final. Local leaders, including Governor Janet Mills, have criticized the recent nurse discharges.