BANGOR, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- After eight and a half months, the Maine State Nurses Association and Eastern Maine Medical Center have reached a contract agreement, although it's only a tentative one year deal.
The nurses have been working without a contract since September. The union has now withdrawn its notice to strike on May 5th and EMMC is planning to halt preparations for a five-day lockout.
Both sides will be presented the plans next Tuesday. If the nurses union votes in favor of the plan the contract will be in effect immediately.
"Both sides can take some of the credit for the fact that we have listened to each other, we've reached a compromise on many, many issues that we discussed over those days of bargaining," Greg Howat, Vice President of Human Resources, EMMC, said.
President of MSNA Unit 1, Judy Brown, in a statement says:
"We are very happy to have reached a resolution on some difficult issues. We want to thank the community and patients of the greater Bangor area for their support and understanding."
The hospital is very optimistic about the nurses voting in favor of the ratifications, otherwise, it's back to the bargaining table.
NEWS CENTER