HOULTON, Maine (WABI) - Registered nurses at Houlton Regional Hospital began a two-day strike on Tuesday morning.

The strike began at 6:45 a.m. and will end at 6:44 a.m. on Thursday, November 20.

A 10-day notice was given for the planned strike November 18 th and 19 th after more than a year of negotiating a contract.

Nurses say a lack of staffing has created longer wait times for patients to be seen.

They are also seeking an increase in wages.

Hospital administration says it recognizes Houlton Regional Hospital employees are among the lowest paid in the county and that they have begun the process of increasing wages to market levels and improving benefits for all employees, including offering the nurses significantly higher increases than the union had originally requested.

HRH

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