Voicing concerns about safe staffing, retirement security, adequate equipment, and other patient and economic protections, medical laboratory technicians, CT/radiology technologists, respiratory therapists and licensed practical nurses at Maine Coast Memorial Hospital in Ellsworth voted to join Maine State Nurses Association/ National Nurses Organizing Committee in a secret ballot election this week conducted by the National Labor Relations Board.

“We joined MSNA so that we can provide the standard of care that our community deserves” said Ellen Eaton, a medical laboratory technician.

This was an incredible victory for Maine Coast healthcare workers who faced pressure from an anti-union campaign by the hospital administration, said MSNA.

“Current MSNA members at MCMH welcome our tech and LPN colleagues into our union. We know that together we will have a stronger voice for our patients” said elected Chief Steward, Bruce Becque, RN, OR.

Techs and LPNs will join the more than 100 nurses, medical technologists, and social workers at MCMH who are currently represented by MSNA/NNOC; along with 150,000 healthcare workers nationwide.

“We are looking forward to joining our coworkers who are already represented by MSNA, to stand united for our patients, our families, and our community” said Greg Betz, a nuclear medicine and radiology technologist.

With their election secured, the MCMH techs and LPNS will look forward to electing a team of their colleagues to represent them in negotiations with the hospital administration on a collective bargaining agreement.

The Maine State Nurses Association is affiliated with National Nurses United, the largest and fastest growing union of RNs in the nation. NNU has won landmark health and safety protections for nurses and patients in the areas of staffing, safe patient handling, infectious disease and workplace violence protection.