EMMC Nurses & Community Members Hold Vigil for Patient Safety

Registered nurses at Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center (EMMC) held a vigil and rally outside the hospital last week to highlight their demands for patient safety. The nurses, who are represented by Maine State Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee (MSNA/NNOC), picketed and chanted until sunset and then held a candlelight vigil. Many friends and community members joined the nurses in solidarity for better conditions for patients and nurses at EMMC.

“We are bringing our community’s needs to EMMC’s management through our contract bargaining,” saidNichole Oliver, RN and union bargaining team member. “We all need to be safe inside the hospital, and that means safe staffing and no dangerous weapons inside the hospital. Without guarantees on these issues, we cannot protect our patients or give them the best care.”

Nurses have been bargaining for a new contract since July 2025. Nurses say there has been very little progress toward a final agreement. Their contract expired on Sept. 15, 2025.

“Against a backdrop of Northern Light cutting services to our community, our federal government cutting assistance to working and low-income Mainers, and the unmitigated danger of violence in our workplace, our employer should do everything it can to protect our community,” said Diane Alexander, RN, EMMC chief steward and bargaining team member. “They simply are not.”

There's no reason for management to continue stalling negotiations. After four months of negotiations, nurses at Maine Medical Center in Portland ratified a new contract on Jan. 7, 2026, winning new patient safety and nurse retention provisions.

“We’ve been union members for decades longer than Maine Med,” said Mary Beth Kelson, RN and EMMC bargaining team member. “EMMC knows how this works and long ago should have met us halfway on our proposals for patient safety and nurse retention. We are committed to doing what it takes to win a fair deal for everyone.”