Nurses at MaineHealth Maine Medical Center in Portland recently ratified a new contract that includes a 21% pay increase over three years and measures to guard against workplace violence.
The contract, which runs through the end of 2028, is the second contract for nurses at the state’s largest hospital since they voted in 2021 to join the Maine State Nurses Association and National Nurses Organizing Committee.
Nurses at the hospital, MMC nurses, signed their first contract in September 2022 and secured the latest contract after four months of bargaining.
“We’re thrilled to have won so many improvements that will benefit our patients, our community and the 2,500 nurses that work in our hospital,” said Meg Sinclair, a registered emergency-room nurse and member of the union’s bargaining team. “
“We formed our union to have a real voice in patient care and to improve Maine Med for everyone,” she added. “This historic agreement gives union nurses even greater power and voice to further improve patient care at Maine Med for the foreseeable future.”
Other measures
Workplace violence protections in the contract include increased security and weapons screening in the hospital and increased nurse representation on the hospital’s workplace violence committee.
The contract also includes more meal break coverage so nurses can eat during their shifts, as well as financial and time-off benefits to help retain and recruit staff.
“We value the dedication and expertise our nurses bring to patient care every day, and this agreement reflects our shared commitment to providing the highest quality care to our patients and community,” a spokesperson for MaineHealth said in a statement emailed to Mainebiz. “We look forward to continuing to work collaboratively with our nurses to ensure a safe, supportive environment for both patients and care team members.”
The Maine State Nurses Association represents more than 4,000 nurses and caregivers from Portland to Fort Kent and is affiliated with the National Nurses Organizing Committee, the largest and fastest-growing union for registered nurses in the United States.
MaineHealth Maine Medical Center, formed in 2024 when Maine Medical Center in Portland combined licenses and staff with Southern Maine Health Care in Biddeford, is ranked as Maine’s largest hospital in the 2026 Mainebiz Book of Lists. Rankings are based on the number of licensed acute care beds.