Nurses and tech staff at Northern Light Maine Coast Hospital fight for fair contract

A fair contract.

That's what nurses and tech staff of Northern Light Maine Coast Hospital are hoping for.

They were demonstrating at S-K Whiting Park in Ellsworth Tuesday evening.

Nurses and tech staff we spoke with say their main concern is patient safety.

The hospital has been trying to negotiate a tech staff contract for almost two years now with no end result.

They say they are understaffed in their labs and surgical services and they want the promise of a fair wage.

Nurses say staffing in their emergency department is a major concern and that many of the nurses are overworked.

Hospital security is another big concern.

"Nationally our healthcare workers are some of the highest injured in the workforce. There is some limited security that is provided right now but we really would like there to be 24 hour security within our hospital 7 days a week," said Joan Torrey.

"Once a nurse always a nurse. It's great to collaborate with the front line nursing staff as well as the directors that oversee the departments, the charge nurses as well and work on these hot topics and discuss them and listen to what they have to say and make adjustments accordingly," said Kristin Cyr.

Hospital administration say that tech staff contract negotiations will be continued in early November and they will meet with nurses for their contract negotiations on November 20th.