Registered Nurse, Millinocket, ME

“I believe a union is one of the highest forms of democracy because it’s the free will of the people – and the Employee Free Choice Act will protect that.”   » Download Cecile story (PDF)

Providing Outstanding Patient Care

As a nurse in Maine for nearly 41 years, Cecile Martin has dedicated her entire professional life to giving her patients the best care possible. As soon as she graduated from high school, Cecile went straight to nursing school. Now with two grown children and two grandchildren, Cecile remains as committed as ever to this demanding profession. Working 12-hour shifts in the pressure-filled environment of an emergency room, Cecile and her fellow registered nurses provide the highest quality of patient care in coordination with physicians and other departments in the hospital. As Cecile explains, “it’s up to the nurse to make sure the team is functioning well.” Though the work can be grueling, “helping people is the driving force for any nurse,” she says.

Gaining an Equal Voice

Nearly 30 years ago, Cecile and her fellow nurses became concerned about the quality of patient care and relatively low salary levels for caregivers. Though the situation briefly improved during the tenure of a sympathetic administrator, the troubling conditions returned as soon as he left. In 1981, after talking to nurses who had recently organized a union at a nearby medical center, Cecile and her fellow nurses signed cards informing their employer of their intention to join the Maine State Nurses Association. “First and foremost, our mission was to help our patients; our second objective was to give ourselves a voice in how we were treated,” explains Cecile.

The nurses faced intimidating anti-union tactics from management and even some physicians, including letters mailed directly to their homes. Nevertheless, in 1982 they still voted overwhelmingly to form a union. Contract negotiations were drawn out, but ultimately Cecile and the union achieved their goals of improving care for patients and working conditions for caregivers. Today, Cecile and other nurses at her hospital have a strong voice and “an equal relationship with management, which has improved patient care tremendously,” says Cecile.

Why We Need the Employee Free Choice Act

As someone is who still active in her union, Cecile appreciates the fact that too many of America’s workers have not been able to organize because of management intimidation. “I believe a union is one of the highest forms of democracy because it’s the free will of the people – and the Employee Free Choice Act will protect that,” says Cecile. She also believes the legislation will help level the playing field between management and workers. “Employers have the advantage right now and can control the conditions economically and otherwise,” explains Cecile. “We’ve all seen how much CEOs make compared to the middle class – the Employee Free Choice Act would help in balancing things out and tip the scales back toward the middle class.”