(PORTLAND, Ore.) – Hospitalists at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center, represented by the Pacific Northwest Hospital Medicine Association (PNWHMA), voted unanimously in favor of a historic tentative agreement with Providence Oregon. After more than a year of negotiations and nearly 30 days on the strike line, this first-ever contract for the 70+ hospitalists marks a significant achievement in their efforts to improve working conditions and patient care.
The hospitalists at St. Vincent unionized through the PNWHMA, a local of AFT, in August 2023, aiming to address concerns related to patient safety, equity between provider groups, and job security. The agreement approved today includes comprehensive measures to address these issues, reflecting the collective determination of hospitalists to advocate for meaningful changes that benefit both providers and patients.
Dr. Jahanavi Chandrashekar, an internist at Providence St. Vincent and member of the bargaining team said about the contract: “This is an historic win for our members who have negotiated for more than a year and braved the picket lines for the last month. While there is always more change to advocate for, this contract is a huge step in the right direction and lays a great foundation to build upon to ensure continued quality care for our community and quality of life for our members. It means that when we go back to work, we will have safer staffing, be able to better recruit and retain hospitalists, and can spend more time with our patients. But for now, we will continue to hold the picket line until the nurses who work beside us also get the contract they deserve.”
“I am so proud of the doctors and providers at St. Vincent who stood up on behalf of their patients and themselves,” said AFT President Randi Weingarten. “They bargained their first ever contract for staffing, wages, and basic respect and their determination to fight, and to win, inspired not only their healthcare peers but the entire US labor movement. It was a long and difficult struggle, but together they honored the mission of the Sisters who founded St. Vincent in the 19th century: to ensure quality healthcare for all Oregonians.”
Given that the nurses at St. Vincent are still on strike, the hospitalists will continue to honor their picket line until such time as the nurses reach an agreement.
Key Provisions of the Agreement
- Staffing Commitments: Implementation of processes to manage high patient volumes, including the addition of more provider teams and protections for hospitalists’ work locations.
- Subcontracting Protections: Strong safeguards against subcontracting, ensuring Providence providers remain central to patient care, with extensive job protections in rare circumstances of subcontracting.
- Wage Increases: Across-the-board raises over the next two years, alongside ratification bonuses and guaranteed future adjustments to move towards greater equity and competitiveness.
- Sick Time Enhancements: Significant improvements to sick time accrual and usage policies, supporting the wellness and work-life balance of hospitalists.