Tualatin, Ore. – In what is becoming a regular occurrence, another group of healthcare workers employed by Providence Oregon have voted for union representation with Oregon Nurses Association (ONA). RNs, physical therapists (PTs), occupational therapists (OTs), speech language pathologists (SLPs), LPNs, and others who work for Providence Benedictine say they organized because of a lack of transparency by the administration, increased patient load and having to use paid time off for low census. The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) was responsible for overseeing the elections where an overwhelming majority of workers voted yes.

“I have been at Providence for 11 years, but I have been a physical therapist for 36 years, and I understand the importance of balancing the high but rewarding demands of quality patient care and the systems behind it,” said Julianna Harder, physical therapist at Providence Benedictine. “We are professionals who care greatly about our work, but we need to feel a sense of agency in what we do, for our own sustainability as much as for the benefit of our patients. Over the years, Providence has become a large corporation, and employees have felt the impact of that in our daily work. For instance, policies have been implemented with no say from the employees, and we feel that if any policies do impact our day-to-day lives as well as those of our patients, it's paramount to have a voice on such matters. Our goal in forming a union is to work collaboratively and effectively to improve employees' working conditions, viable expectations, and patient care ability.”

Providence Benedictine caregivers visit patients in Marion, Polk, Benton and Linn Counties. They will join the existing Providence Home Health and Hospice bargaining unit.  

Since February 2023, just over 1,000 caregivers from Providence Oregon have voted to unionize. Employees have repeatedly said they are organizing to provide better patient care citing Providence’s emphasis on the bottom line at the expense of patients and staff. Caregivers are fed up with Providence’s laser focus on increasing profits at the expense of patient care and are demanding to spend more time with individual patients and families through improved scheduling, recruitment and retention.  

While more Providence employees are taking the leap to organize with ONA, thousands of others are at the bargaining table trying to reach fair contracts. Nurses at Providence Newberg, Providence St. Vincent, Providence Hood River, Providence Willamette Falls, Providence Medford, and Providence Milwaukie have spent 10 months at the bargaining table trying to come to an agreement on safe staffing, healthcare benefits, and competitive wages to recruit and retain more nurses. In June the nurses from the six facilities held a three-day strike after Providence walked away from bargaining. Providence’s response was to prevent nurses from returning to work for an additional two days. Caregivers with Providence Portland, Providence Seaside, and Providence Home Health and Hospice return to the bargaining table in September. In 2023 the three bargaining units walked out for five days and later reached fair contracts. Meanwhile, providers (physicians, PAs, NPs, CNMs and RNs) with Providence Women’s Clinic (PWC), Providence St. Vincent Medical Center, Providence Immediate Care Clinics, and Providence Medford are attempting to negotiate first contracts but have seen many of their proposals diminished or rejected outright.    

“It should come as no surprise that more healthcare workers are organizing. Nurses, doctors, service workers, techs, therapists and other employees are saying ‘time’s up’ and standing up to the callous treatment by Providence executives,” said ONA Board Member and Providence Willamette Falls Bargaining Unit Chair Virginia Smith, RN. “This is about more than money, this is about respect and trusting caregivers to do the job that they studied and trained to do. The people that sit across from us at the bargaining table spend no time with patients, insist they know best and refuse to listen to our expertise. If Providence executives continue this pattern of behavior, you can expect many more workers to organize unions.” 

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 health care professionals including a more effective, affordable and accessible healthcare system; better working conditions for all health care professionals; and healthier communities. For more information visit www.OregonRN.org.
 

(Heppner, Ore.) – After a four month wait, RNs and technical support workers with Pioneer Memorial Hospital are finally able to celebrate their union win. In March, the employees announced their intent to join a union with Oregon Nurses Association (ONA) and delivered their declaration to hospital administration demanding to be recognized. However, hospital administration filed an objection with Oregon’s Employment Relations Board (ERB). Following hearings and the submission of post-hearing briefs, the ERB ruled in favor of the employees and ONA on July 12, 2024. 

“Nurses and techs decided to form a union so our voices would be heard,” said Kathleen Greenup, RN at Pioneer Memorial Hospital. “It’s been difficult to work at the hospital these last few years because of the high turnover of staff and management’s unwillingness to make necessary improvements to encourage staff to stay.” 

Pioneer Memorial Hospital opened in 1950 and serves the small town of Heppner and surrounding areas. As a community access hospital, the public facility is vital to the farming and ranching communities. This is the second group of public employees to organize with ONA in 2024. Nurse practitioners and physician associates from across the OHSU system formed a union in January. 

“We try very hard to maintain a high standard to provide the best patient care we can. This is our community, and everyone knows everyone else,” said Greenup. “But we need hospital administration to listen to our expertise and experiences. We have many medical professionals who live in the community, but they would rather work in a hospital an hour away where they are respected and have the support of administration.” 

Pioneer Memorial Hospital is part of Morrow County Health District, a nonprofit Oregon special district that offers healthcare service throughout the county. It’s funded primarily through property taxes.

Local nurses are leading an informational picket in Newport Aug. 2 to raise community awareness about staffing issues and safety concerns as they fight for a fair contract at Samaritan Pacific Communities Hospital. Photo courtesy of the Oregon Nurses Association (ONA).

EVENT UPDATE:

ONA nurses at Samaritan Pacific Communities Hospital are pleased to announce they reached a tentative contract agreement with Samaritan management late this afternoon. The tentative contract agreement includes numerous improvements to raise local healthcare standards including equal pay for equal work for nurses at Samaritan Pacific, Samaritan Albany General Hospital and Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center in Corvallis. Providing equal pay for equal work, along with other improvements, will give Samaritan more tools to address staffing issues on the coast; recruit and retain nurses; and ensure people across Lincoln County continue to have access to high-quality, safe, and affordable healthcare. 

As a result of this tentative agreement, nurses have canceled tonight's informational picket. 

Nurses expressed deep appreciation for the incredible support they've received from their coworkers at the hospital and from community members throughout Lincoln County during contract negotiations. Community support was critical to reaching a fair contract agreement that is a win for nurses, patients and our community. 

Frontline nurses at Samaritan Pacific Communities Hospital are fighting for safe staffing, better local access to care and equal pay for equal work.  

WHAT: Nurses, healthcare providers and community leaders are holding an informational picket and public rally near Samaritan Pacific Communities Hospital Friday, Aug. 2 from 5 - 7 p.m. 

Nurses are demanding Samaritan executives take action to address a staffing crisis that has contributed to a decline in care quality, long wait times, and overreliance on expensive, inexperienced travel nurses. Frontline nurses are calling on Samaritan management to reach a fair contract agreement that raises safety standards and ensures people throughout Lincoln County continue to have access to safe, affordable healthcare. Samaritan executives let nurses’ contract expire in June.

WHEN & WHERE: 

ONA Nurses Informational Picket
Fri. August 2 
5 - 7  p.m.
Near Samaritan Pacific Communities Hospital
Intersection of Hwy 101 & Abbey St. Newport, OR

WHO: ONA frontline nurses from the Samaritan Health Services system and allies including local doctors, other healthcare providers, union allies and community supporters. ONA represents more than 100 registered nurses at Samaritan Pacific and more than 1,000 nurses throughout the Samaritan Health Services system—which includes multiple hospitals, clinics and health insurance plans from the Willamette Valley to the central Oregon coast.

WHY: ONA nurses are picketing for a fair contract to improve our communities’ health and safety. We’re working to solve Samaritan’s staffing crisis and win equal standards so we can recruit and retain the caregivers our community desperately needs.

Samaritan Pacific is one of the most profitable hospitals in the state, but we’re losing nurses in every direction for better paying jobs. Samaritan executives have repeatedly refused to offer local nurses equal pay for equal work; leading to a staffing exodus that is affecting local healthcare. 

At Samaritan Pacific—which enjoyed double-digit profit margins for the last 4 years—staffing shortages are so severe that nearly ¼ of nurses are expensive, inexperienced, and temporary travel nurses; causing patients to pay more for lower quality care. 

Right now, a travel nurse with 2 years’ experience makes $10 more an hour than a local nurse with 20 years’ experience.

Samaritan executives' continued substandard treatment of the frontline nurses at Samaritan Pacific and pay that is significantly behind other Samaritan hospitals prevents it from fully staffing its hospitals and delivering on its promises to care for its community. 

Decades of research and real-life experience shows nurse staffing shortages harm community health and lead to longer wait times and hospital stays for patients and community members, more expensive care, more infections and injuries, more readmissions and more preventable deaths. 

Community members are invited and encouraged to attend nurses’ informational picket to hear directly from local nurses and healthcare providers, ask questions, and share concerns and stories about their own health care experiences at the hospital. Media members are encouraged to attend to capture the voices and stories of frontline nurses and inform the community about patient care conditions at the hospital. 

Friday’s event is outdoors and will be held rain-or-shine. All event participants are asked to follow guidance from designated rally officials and safety personnel. 

NOTE: An informational picket is not a strike or work stoppage. It is a demonstration of solidarity to Samaritan’s executives and that local nurses are united to raise health care standards for our community.

Local nurses plan to meet with Samaritan executives on Friday before the informational picket to try again to reach a fair contract agreement that meets their community’s healthcare needs. If a tentative contract agreement is reached, event plans may change. Please check your email for additional updates.