Service & Solidarity Spotlight: Central Maine Medical Center Nurses (NNU) Vote Overwhelmingly to Form Union

Working people across the United States regularly step up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our Service & Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.

After weathering intense interference from hospital management, registered nurses (RNs) at Central Maine Medical Center (CMMC) have voted overwhelmingly to join Maine State Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee (MSNA/NNOC), an affiliate of National Nurses United (NNU).

This landslide victory and display of solidarity is especially meaningful given that Prime Healthcare, the hospital’s owner, fired and suspended 20 nurses during the organizing campaign in retaliation for speaking up and fighting for their patients. Now that the election is over, MSNA members will continue to demand the reinstatement of their illegally disciplined coworkers and are preparing to negotiate a first contract that protects their voice on the job.

“We are beyond thrilled to win our union election. Prime Healthcare thought they could silence us,” said Aaron McDaniel, an RN in the intensive care unit. “But now we are members of National Nurses Organizing Committee and we will use our voices to speak up loudly for our patients. We’re so proud to join NNOC because we know we will win a contract that will make a drastic difference for our patients and for us as nurses to build a healthier community.”