Summary
Nurses at Houlton Regional Hospital in Maine plan to strike due to issues with staffing and patient care. The nurses argue that there are too few staff members to handle the number of patients, leading to problems in providing proper care. The hospital says it has a plan to keep services going during the strike and has offered better wages and benefits to the nurses.
Key Facts
- 55 nurses at Houlton Regional Hospital are involved in the strike.
- The nurses are represented by the Maine State Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee.
- The strike is due to concerns about short staffing and patient care in the emergency department.
- The hospital claims it has a plan to continue operations with minimal disruption.
- The hospital has proposed a wage increase and improved employee benefits.
- The decision to strike follows more than a year of contract negotiations.
- The hospital had earlier announced the closure of its maternal services department due to various challenges.
- The previous contract for the nurses expired last November.
