Vermont Business Magazine On Tuesday 66% of all eligible Health Professionals at Porter Medical Center (PMC) in Middlebury voted yes to formalize a union, the final vote was 53-12. Jon Ford, Physician Assistant, and union organizing committee member, said, “Today we voted to form our union to support each other, strengthen patient care, and secure a fair and sustainable future for our professions. These are the priorities we’ve been naming all along, and this vote is a step toward making them real.”
PMC is part of the University of Vermont Health Network.
Once the votes are certified, PMC Health Professionals will begin the process of bargaining their first contract with the PMC administration. Physician Assistant and union organizing committee member Hadley Warner stated, “We want to thank everyone who participated in this process and made their voice heard. We are looking forward to sitting down with management to negotiate our new contract, focusing on securing livable wages, improving safety standards, and expanding professional development opportunities. This is a win for our entire organization."
The PMC Health Professional union victory comes just a little over a year after the PMC Support Staff, Techs and LPNs ratified their first contract, which more than tripled the membership of the Porter Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals.
Maya Schnell, Radiological Technologist and current President of PFNHP 5753, congratulated her colleagues on their win, saying, “The Professionals did not just win their vote to form their union, they made a statement about the importance of their professions to this hospital and community. Porter relies heavily upon their skill and care. This is a significant victory that will enable these essential caregivers to improve their working conditions, not just for themselves, but for those who will come after them.”
AFT Vermont represents over 11,000 healthcare and higher education professionals at the Central Vermont Medical Center, UVM Medical Center, University of Vermont, the Vermont State University, Bennington College, Porter Medical Center, Community Health Centers of Burlington, Planned Parenthood of NNE and Brattleboro Medical Center. https://AFTVermont.org
12/9/2025. AFT Vermont. Middlebury
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