More than 3000 ONA-represented nurses from six Providence facilities to hold 3-day strike
(Portland, Ore.) – On June 7, 2024, nurses at Providence St. Vincent, Providence Newberg, Providence Willamette Falls, Providence Medford, Providence Hood River and Providence Milwaukie, represented by the Oregon Nurses Association, delivered a 10-day notice of their intent to strike to management. The notice informed management that the more than 3,000 nurses at the six facilities intend to begin their strike on June 18, 2024, at 6:00 a.m.
“At Providence Medford, we are facing a staffing crisis, and our nurses are overworked, offered low quality healthcare, and paid less than the current market for nurses in Medford,” said Caroline Allison, RN at Providence Medford. “Adding insult to injury, it has now become clear that Providence appears to be systematically trying to undermine Oregon’s Safe Staffing Law. The Safe Staffing Law was intended to solve the nurse workforce shortage crisis and allow us to greatly enhance patient care. Instead, Providence has again made the decision to focus on its bottom lines instead of their workforce, their communities, and their patients. This is why I voted to strike. Because if a $28 billion dollar healthcare corporation isn’t going to fight for the community, our patients, and our nurses, then we will.”
Nurses and management have been engaged in contract negotiations for as long as nine months. Since the beginning of bargaining, nurses’ priorities have remained unchanged: commitment to Oregon’s Safe Staffing Law; affordable and quality healthcare; and market-competitive wages to retain talented nurses and recruit more to fill the many open shifts. After a four-day mediation session that wrapped up today, nurses said it was clear that hospital management wasn’t interested in responding to their concerns with serious proposals.
Jessica Lobell, RN and bargaining team member from Providence St. Vincent, said during a press conference this afternoon, “This may be a surprise to many of you listening today, but Providence nurses often have worse health insurance than our patients. Let me repeat that very clearly: the healthcare package that Providence continues to offer us and advertise as best-in-class is worse than most people we care for every day.”
Community members can visit RespectOurNurses.com to learn more about ongoing negotiations, sign a community petition in support of the nurses, and get information about the impact of a potential strike.
The Oregon Nurses Association (ONA) represents a diverse community of 20,000 nurses, and health care professionals throughout Oregon. Together, we use our collective power to advocate for critical issues impacting patients, nurses, and healthcare professionals including a more effective, affordable and accessible healthcare system; better working conditions for all healthcare professionals; and healthier communities. For more information visit www.OregonRN.org.
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