Nursing Contract Update

EMMC's Board of Trustees Unanimously Approves New Three Year Collective Bargaining Agreement with Nurses' Union
06-06-2012

Eastern Maine Medical Center is pleased to share its Board of Trustees has unanimously approved the new three year collective bargaining agreement with the union that represents its staff nurses, Maine State Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United.

EMMC's nurses voted to approve the new contract on May 29, 2012. 

Eastern Maine Medical Center was pleased to learn our nurses who are represented by Maine State Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United approved the three year contract on May 29, 2012. The next step is to present the final contract offer to EMMC's Board of Trustees with recommendation from the bargaining team for approval.

Nursing Union Contract Negotiation Update
05-16-2012

Eastern Maine Medical Center and the Maine State Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United were back at the negotiation table with the federal mediator today. After a short session, EMMC restated its final offer, the union did not respond, and the mediator ended the session around 11:30 am.

• The union continues to ask for an added step increase for nurses who have worked at EMMC for 360 months (an added three percent pay increase for about 60 nurses). EMMC has countered with a final three-year offer that includes a three percent, two percent, and two percent wage increase for all nurses in the bargaining unit.
• The union has proposed EMMC add or maintain a resource nurse every day on eight nursing units. In addition to house-wide resource nurses and Rapid Response Teams, resource nurses are already in place on many of these units, and EMMC continues to work with unit staff to determine staffing models that are appropriate.
• EMMC maintains staffing decisions do not belong in a contract. No one can predict future staffing challenges and needs. Patient volume, technology, acuity, and other factors will affect staffing. It would be irresponsible to commit contractually to one staffing approach for the future knowing we would have to persuade the union to adjust the contract should these factors change.

EMMC believes nurses should be given the opportunity to vote on our final offer. While we await word from the union, no further bargaining dates have been set by the federal mediator.

 EMMC and Nurses' Union Return to Bargaining Table
05-16-2012

Negotiators for Eastern Maine Medical Center and the union representing its nurses, Maine State Nurses Association/National Nurse Organizing Committee/National Nurses United, returned to the bargaining table today.

Union Members To Hold Information Picket on EMMC's Main Campus
05-15-2012

On Tuesday, May 15, you may see nursing union members and union leaders conducting an informational picket on EMMC's main campus. This action is connected with ongoing contract negotiations between Eastern Maine Medical Center and the nurses' union, Maine State Nurses Association/National Nurse Organizing Committee/National Nurses United.

An informational picket allows unions in negotiation to provide information to the public. The nurses holding signs are off duty. In fact, some of those in attendance may not be employees of EMMC, and in some cases, not nurses. Rest assured, EMMC's services will not be interrupted, and your care is being provided by EMMC healthcare professionals.

In the meantime, both parties will return to the bargaining table on Wednesday, May 16.

Nursing Union Contract Negotiation Update
05-10-2012

Negotiators for Eastern Maine Medical Center and the Maine State Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United were back at the bargaining table today. While no contact was reached, both parties remain hopeful they’ll reach a mutually beneficial agreement.

In the meantime, Eastern Maine Medical Center is reassuring patients and the community that care will continue uninterrupted as union nurses and representatives hold an informational picket on Tuesday, May 15 at three campuses – EMMC’s main campus on State Street, the EMMC Healthcare Mall on Union Street, both in Bangor; and at CancerCare of Maine off Wilson Street in Brewer.

An informational picket allows unions in negotiation to provide information to the public. The nurses holding signs are off duty.  In fact, some of those in attendance are not employees of EMMC and, in some cases, not nurses.

Both parties will return to the bargaining table on Wednesday, May 16.

Nursing Union Contract Negotiation Update
05-07-2012

Negotiations:

• Last week EMMC put forth two alternative offers: a three year offer (which would be our preference) and a one year offer.  We proposed that the nurses be allowed to vote on both and choose one they prefer. The union responded that nurses would not be permitted to vote on our alternatives. The union countered with a one year offer,  accordingly, our last, best final offer was a one year offer.
• The union bargaining team left negotiations without responding to the final offer Thursday evening. The contract expired at midnight Thursday night.
• In the absence of a contract, care goes on uninterrupted at EMMC, with all parties following the terms of the expired agreement.
• With the help of a mediator, a three year agreement is still possible, and we suspect that is what many of our nurses would prefer. The parties have scheduled mediation dates for 5/10 and 5/16.

Sticking point - compensation:

• There are several areas of bargaining where we are not in agreement, but compensation is a major sticking point.
• Still our three year offer contained wage increases each of the three years, 3 percent, 2 percent, and 2 percent respectively. Our one year offer contained a wage increase of 3 percent.
• The union demand was for 3 percent,3 percent, and 3 percent increase over three years, or a 5 percent increase for one year. This is in addition to other economic improvements the union still has on the table. With the healthcare landscape as uncertain as it is, we feel our offers are as much as we should offer.

Security Question: (Downloadable PDF) 

• We understand that the events that require an Emergency Department visit are stressful and emotional. We also understand that violence can sometimes be a manifestation of illness. EMMC is here to help people. By layering many strategies for keeping patients and others safe and secure in our Emergency Department, we can assure that the focus of the department can remain, rightly, on high quality care of the sick and injured.
• This is a national agenda item this year for the National Nurses United, which as you know, is based in California. It is true that aggressive behavior in Emergency Departments is trending upwards across the country.
• We’re glad to report that safety has been a focus at EMMC for many years and we feel we have a really good story to tell on security. We have arguably one of the most, if not the most secure, Emergency Department in the state.
• Because we care to keep staff and our patients and visitors safe, we have in place:
• security cameras,
• around the clock security and Bangor Police presence at night,
• panic buttons placed throughout the department,
• metal detector wanding of some patients,
• all access doors but main Emergency entrance locked,
• Emergency Department Staff Safety Committee – meets monthly, recently reinvigorated group
• We are currently considering an enhanced policy, given for review to our Emergency Department Safety Committee (comprised of ED staff, security and ED leadership) to broaden the scope of our metal detector wanding policy, to include more patients and even some visitors.
• The biggest threat according to our own tracking of incidents is not weapons in the Emergency Department but rather aggression involving fists, feet, or teeth. For this type of aggression, it really becomes a matter of de-escalation training. We use MOAB (Management of Aggressive Behavior) training and 100% of our security personnel are certified. Many other Emergency Department staff members are certified as well, with other training scheduled.

Staffing: (Downloadable PDF) 

• The union’s national position on staffing is to push hospitals to commit to staffing levels in the contract and we have been clear that this concept is unacceptable to us and will not ever be agreeable.
• Driven by upticks in volume on our units, we have added 32 new nursing positions in the past year, as well as “overhiring” new graduate nurses to be oriented and supported through their board process. They will help us backfill and, going forward, will become the nurses to replace retiring nurses and those who leave us for other reasons.
• We have offered a contractual process for a nurse to report a perceived unsafe staffing assignment, first through their charge nurse, and then through the chain of leadership to the Chief Nursing Officer.  It is our expectation that any perceived unsafe assignment be reported immediately and resolved, if it is substantiated by leadership on the floor.

EMMC’s goals:

• A reasonable three year contract with our nurses
• Fair and competitive wages for all employees
• Safe and effective work environment for all employees
• The ability to resolve local/departmental issues with employee input and recommendations
• The preservation of leadership’s responsibility and authority to make decisions about the operation of the hospital

Nursing Union Contract Negotiation Update
05-03-2012

Eastern Maine Medical Center and the Maine State Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United continue negotiations today as the contract is set to expire at midnight tonight.

• A one-year contract was signed by EMMC and MSNA/NNOC/NNU last May. Since March of this year, the two groups have met 13 times in hopes of reaching a new three-year agreement prior to the contract expiring.
• Updates on negotiations will be listed on this page as they occur.

Nursing Union Contract Negotiation Update
March 2012

In March 2012, negotiators for Eastern Maine Medical Center and Maine State Nurses Association/National Nurses United returned to the bargaining table. Both sides are hopeful to reach an agreement before the current contract expires in early May.

We'll continue to update you on the progress of negotiations as more information becomes available.