Nurses at Central Maine Medical Center Vote to Unionize With 91% Approval

Nurses at Central Maine Medical Center in Lewiston, Maine, voted 204-21 in favor of joining the Maine State Nurses Association on September 24, according to WGME. The 91% approval margin came after hospital management fired 15 nurses and suspended five others in the weeks leading up to the election.

Just under 300 nurses were eligible to vote in the election. The newly unionized workers will join the Maine State Nurses Association, which already represents 4,000 nurses across Maine. The union announced plans to file unfair labor practice charges with the National Labor Relations Board on behalf of the terminated and suspended nurses.

Federal Lawmaker Calls Firings "Illegal Union Busting"

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree criticized Central Maine Medical Center's actions on September 23, labeling the firings as "illegal union busting." Prime Healthcare, the hospital's parent company, maintained that all disciplinary actions resulted from code of conduct violations rather than anti-union retaliation.

Lewiston Mayor Carl Sheline issued a statement on September 24 expressing support for the organizing effort. "The entire Lewiston community is proud to stand behind the nurses at CMMC and their right to unionize," Sheline said in the statement.

Terminated and Suspended Nurses React to Vote

Erin Bennett, one of the terminated nurses, responded to the election results at the vote count. "It felt like a really long fight but this win is huge, especially with everything that has been thrown at us," Bennett told WGME reporters on September 24.

Aaron McDaniel, a suspended nurse, described the organizing campaign's outcome in similar terms. "We are elated. We are all celebrating that we came through with a 91% victory. We couldn't expect anything better," McDaniel said.

The timing of the disciplinary actions—15 firings and five suspensions during an active organizing campaign—drew scrutiny from labor advocates and elected officials. Prime Healthcare did not respond to requests for comment on the election results or the pending unfair labor practice charges.

What Happens Next

The Maine State Nurses Association will now enter contract negotiations with Central Maine Medical Center management. The union's first priority will be filing unfair labor practice charges with the NLRB over the firings and suspensions that occurred during the organizing drive. If the Board finds merit in the charges, it could order Prime Healthcare to reinstate the terminated nurses with back pay and post remedial notices throughout the facility.

The 91% approval margin gives union negotiators a strong mandate heading into first-contract talks. Healthcare worker organizing has accelerated across the United States since 2024, with successful campaigns at hospital systems from California to Vermont. The Central Maine Medical Center victory adds momentum to that trend in a region where healthcare employers have historically resisted unionization efforts.

Union representatives told WGME the fired and suspended nurses will remain active in the organizing effort regardless of their employment status. Central Maine Medical Center management has not publicly stated whether it will appeal the election results or negotiate in good faith with the newly certified bargaining unit.