Maine Med. nurses share whatâs at stake in unionization battle Share Updated: 6:17 PM EST Feb 17, 2021 Terry Stackhouse Share Updated: 6:17 PM EST Feb 17, 2021 Hide Transcript Show Transcript ... AND TERRY - THE HEALTH CRISIS HAS PUSHED SOME NURSES TO CALL FOR CHANGE. SOME MAINE MED. NURSES W SPOKE TO SAY THEY'VE BEEN STRETCHED THIN DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC. FORMING A UNION, MANY BELIEVE, WOULD LEAD TO BETTER PATIENT CARE. "WE HAVE SOME REALLY SICK PATIENTS IN THE HOSPITAL AND SO YOU CAN'T REALLY GIVE THE PATIENTS THE TIME AND THE DEDICATION THAT YOU'RE USED TO GIVING AND YOU WANT TO GIVE AS A NURSE." JANEL CROWLEY SAYS WHILE STAFFING ISN'T UNSAFE AT MAINE MED. UNIONIZING WOULD ALLOW NURSES TO ADVOCATE FOR - WHAT SHE AND OTHERS CALL 'SAFE STAFFING.' 2:10-2:14 "IT IS JUST MAKING FOR A LOT OF BURNOUT ON MARCH 29TH ROUGHLY 1,600 NURSES WILL BE MAILED BALLOTS. 3:26-3:32 "REALLY BEEN JUST SLOWLY AND QUIETLY BUILDING OUR NETWORK THROUGH COMMUNICATING WITH OUR FELLOW NURSES." JACKIE FOURNIER SAYS LATEST PUSH STARTED IN THE FALL OF 2019. THE AIM, SHE SAYS, IS TO ESTABLISH A COLLECTIVE VOICE. 2:36-2:45 (TRIMMED) "WE ARE RIGHT THERE AT THE BEDSIDE PROVIDING THAT CARE AND THERE ARE A LOT OF CHANGES THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE A SAY IN." 1:30-1:34, CLIP 3 (TRIMMED, WILL HAVE TO CUT AND RESIZE OR COVER DUE TO RECORDING ISSUE) "WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE NORINE SEYMOUR AND AMANDA MILLARD - PART OF A GROUP VOCALLY CONCERNED UNION REPRESENTATION COULD DISRUPT CURRENT COMMUNICATION WITH MANAGEMENT. 11:48-11:59, CLIP 3 (TRIMMED) "...SOMEONE ELSE SPEAKIN TO OUR PRACTICE AND OUR UNITS, WHERE IS THE POSITIVE CHANGE?" IN JANUARY, NATIONAL NURSES UNITED AND THE MAINE STATE NURSES ASSOCIATION FILED A PETITION TO REPRESENT MAINE MED NURSES. SOON AFTER, THE HOSPITAL - REQUIRING NURSES TO ATTEND INFO SESSIONS WITH ANTI-UNION CONSULTING FIRM RELIANT LABOR CONSULTANTS. 8:23-8:28, CLIP 3 "IT WAS COMPLETELY IMPARTIAL. IT WAS EQUAL AND VERY INFORMATIVE." 8:58-9:04, CLIP 3 "I MEAN THE PURPOSE OF IT WAS TO INFORM US OF OUR RIGHTS." FUELING CONTROVERSY HOWEVER - THE HOSPITAL'S ADMISSION OUT OF STATE CONSULTANTS WERE GIVEN COVID- 19 VACCINE. MAINE MED. HAS ALSO CREATING A CAMPAIGN TO DISSUADE NURSES FROM UNIONIZING. :46-:50 "I'M HEARTBROKEN AT HOW OUR HOSPITAL IS BEING PORTRAYED TO THE COMMUNITY. VIDEOS WITH STATEMENTS FROM HOSPITAL LEADERSHIP AND NURSES DIRECTING STAFF TO GETTHEFACTSMMC. ORG. 1:47-1:48 "WE DON'T NEED A UNION." IN A STATEMENT, A SPOKESPERSON SAID THE HOSPITAL, "STANDS BY EACH AND EVERY ONE OF ITS NURSES AS THEY EXPLORE THIS IMPORTANT CHOICE... ALSO... THIS ABILITY TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS IS PART OF THE REASON WHY MMC AND ITS NURSES HAVE BEEN DESIGNATED A MAGNET HOSPITAL FOR NURSING EXCELLENCE.." 10:16-10:22, CLIP 3 "RIGHT NOW I CAN GET INVOLVED AND WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND MY FEAR IS THAT, THAT MIGHT CHANGE." AT THE CORE OF BOTH ARGUMENTS IS PATIENT CARE AND COMMUNICATION WITH HOSPITAL LEADERSHIP. HOW TO GET THERE IS WHERE NURSES ARE DIVIDED. 5:46-5:50 "COVID-19 HAS DEFINITELY HIGHLIGHTED THAT NEED FOR US TO HAVE A VOICE BALLOTS WILL BE COUNTED VIRTUALLY AND BROADCAST THROUGH A VIDEOCONFE