Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center and its nurses’ union reached a tentative three-year contract agreement Friday night, calling off a work stoppage that had been scheduled to begin next week.
The Maine State Nurses Association/National Nurses United officially withdrew its strike notice following the agreement, the hospital announced.
“We’re pleased to have reached a tentative agreement that reflects our deep respect for our nursing team and their vital role in delivering exceptional patient care,” Ava Collins, president of Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center, said in a statement. “This resolution ensures continuity for our patients and the community, and we’re grateful for the dedication of everyone who worked toward this outcome.”
The two sides had been divided over staffing ratios, health insurance benefits and pay for women’s health nurses, who joined the union in 2024, during contract bargaining, according to the union.
The hospital’s contract with the union expired in September, and both parties agreed to an extension that expired in November, according to the hospital system.
Terms of Friday’s agreement were not disclosed. The tentative contract must still be ratified by union members before it takes effect.
