J U LY | A U G U S T | S E P T E M B E R 2 0 1 9 W W W . N A T I O N A L N U R S E S U N I T E D . O R G N A T I O N A L N U R S E 15
MAINE
R
egistered nurses and hospital
technicians at Down East
Community Hospital in Machias,
Maine held a rally for a fair
contract in July, to protest hospital
mismanagement that makes it difficult to
recruit and retain quality staff, announced
the Maine State Nurses Association
(MSNA).
"We are standing up and demanding
that DECH management invest in safe
patient care and staffing," said Berta Alley,
RN. "Right now, lack of investment is
causing problems with the recruitment of
new RNs and retention of longtime
employees, to the detriment of patient
care conditions. Our community deserves
better."
MSNA represents Down East Commu-
nity Hospital nurses and technicians who
have been in contract negotiations since
October 2018. The union is affiliated
nationally with the National Nurses Organ-
izing Committee.
—Staff report
Maine RNs rally for a fair contract