CMMC nurses, supporters picket in Lewiston amid unionizing effort
LEWISTON — Red shirts and signs urging fair treatment marked a Tuesday morning picket outside Central Maine Medical Center, as nurses and supporters voiced concern over working conditions and the hospital’s ongoing union campaign.
Longtime nurse Lyse Roy was among those gathered on Main Street across from the hospital. Some signs read “Be fair to those who care” and “You can't put patients first if you put nurses last.”
The demonstration comes as CMMC nurses seek representation by the Maine State Nurses Association, which says it represents about 4,000 nurses and caregivers statewide. The workers filed for an election late last month, with a vote scheduled for Sept. 23.
Those supporting the effort say safer staffing levels, improved equipment and stronger nurse-retention measures are among their primary concerns.
A Facebook group called Stand With Central Maine Nurses said three CMMC nurses were suspended for participating in union activities. The hospital has not identified the employees or discussed the suspensions.
Lewiston Mayor Carl Sheline called for the nurses’ reinstatement in a letter posted Monday.
“It has come to my attention that Prime has hired out-of-state anti-union consultants to run an anti-union campaign targeting CMMC nurses,” Sheline wrote. “Management is pulling nurses away from their jobs to pressure them to vote against unionization.”
Sheline said nurses have also told him they are encountering shortages of bed linens and basic patient supplies, rarely receiving legally entitled breaks and seeing reductions in paid time off and shift differentials.
Central Maine Healthcare, which owns CMMC and other facilities across western Maine, was acquired earlier this year by Prime Healthcare Foundation, a nonprofit subsidiary of the California-based Prime health system. Prime operates dozens of hospitals nationwide.
In a statement, a CMMC spokesperson said the hospital is addressing a range of challenges and that Prime has already invested in personnel and equipment as part of a commitment to invest $150 million in the system.
Asked about the suspended nurses, the spokesperson said the hospital could not discuss personnel matters.
“Employment actions are based on established hospital policies and standards and not any employee’s union activity or protected rights,” the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson added that the hospital respects nurses’ legal rights to support a union or remain in a direct relationship with the hospital.
“We remain committed to working constructively with our nurses and addressing concerns in the best interests of our patients and community,” the spokesperson said.
The Lewiston campaign is part of a broader pattern of organizing at Prime facilities. Nurses at two hospitals in Illinois have filed for union elections, while nurses at Saint Mary of Nazareth Hospital in Chicago voted in June to join the National Nurses Organizing Committee and National Nurses United. Prime has faced workplace criticism from nurses at some of its other facilities.
With the CMMC election approaching, the picket reflects a widening dispute between nurses seeking greater influence over hospital conditions and management saying it is focused on patient care, staffing needs and established employment standards.
