MaineHealth has reached a settlement with a group of medical interpreters over unpaid merit raises. The dispute comes as the interpreters are negotiating their first union contract.
Most non-union employees at MaineHealth typically receive a merit based wage increase at the beginning of the year. But this year, some medical interpreters did not receive that increase, according to a complaint filed with the National Labor Relations Board in March.
A settlement was reached earlier this month, with MaineHealth agreeing to pay the merit increases retroactively to January 7.
Janice Jaffe, a Spanish language interpreter, said the settlement is a relief, but that the whole ordeal dealt a blow to morale.
"It really shakes your confidence," she said. "Also, people desperately need that money."
A spokesperson for MaineHealth said the system is "pleased to reach an agreement on providing 2024 merit pay for our staff interpreters," but did not say why the merit pay was held up.
Interpreters at the health system voted last year to form a union, and contract negotiations are ongoing. MaineHealth said it is "looking forward to completing first contract negotiations once we can reach agreement on a handful of remaining items."
Jaffe, who is on the bargaining unit for the interpreters, said she hopes the two parties can reach that agreement by the end of the year.
