Language interpreters, supporters March to MaineHealth, Demand Management Address Recruitment & Retention Issues

MaineHealth language interpreters (MSEA-SEIU 1989) and supporters converged on the corporate offices of MaineHealth on Wednesday to demand a fair contract. The United MaineHealth Interpreters have been negotiating with management for their first contract for over 16 months.

“Interpreters play a fundamental role in our healthcare system. Our presence is mandated, and rightly so, as we are imperative for effective communication between patients and providers, and the avoidance of costly adverse outcomes,” the interpreters read in a group statement they delivered at the MaineHealth corporate offices. “The interpreter wages at MaineHealth, currently the lowest in Portland, reflect a troubling trend of undervaluing essential professions. This contributes to high turnover rates, and ultimately compromise patient care and provider job satisfaction.”

They were told that no one from MaineHealth management was available to speak with them. Continuing, the interpreters said in their statement, “By failing to come to the bargaining table with a reasonable wage and scheduling proposal, MaineHealth is sending a clear message that it prioritizes profit over people and is risking the trust of the community it serves. If MaineHealth truly values excellence, respect, and patient-centered care, it must invest in their staff interpreters and compensate us fairly for our vital contribution to the healthcare system. We are United MaineHealth Interpreters, and we deserve a fair contract now!”

In 2023, the interpreters voted to form their union, the United MaineHealth Interpreters, as part of the Maine Service Employees Association, Local 1989 of the Service Employees International Union.

While the interpreters’ bargaining team says it has made significant progress in the negotiations, they also said MaineHealth has not yet put forth a satisfactory wage proposal. The interpreters have taken public action in previous months, including a picket in December to which over 50 community members and labor advocates joined. The Portland City Council and the nurses’ union at Maine Medical Center wrote letters in support of the interpreters and their demands for a fair contract.

The interpreters’ contract negotiations with MaineHealth have proven difficult. In December 2023, MaineHealth management announced it would deny the interpreters the standard merit-pay increase awarded to other MaineHealth employees. The interpreters subsequently filed a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) charge on March 7, 2024, arguing that “employees are eligible for the (merit-pay) program if hired before December 31 and if they have successfully completed their six-month review.”

In September 2024, MaineHealth agreed to a settlement and reinstated the interpreters’ merit pay retroactively to Jan. 7, 2024. The settlement stipulated that if interpreters had no contract by January 2025, they would also receive their 2025 merit increases.

Another NLRB charge by the interpreters was filed in September regarding MaineHealth’s retaliatory treatment of an interpreter who has been active in the formation of the bargaining unit and negotiation of the initial collective bargaining agreement. This retaliatory treatment included reducing their call-out opportunities and reducing the current interpreters’ hours by seeking to hire another interpreter. The alleged mistreatment has continued and the NLRB charge remains pending.