MEDIA ADVISORY: SOUTHERN OREGON HEALTH PROFESSIONALS TO URGE LAWMAKERS TO HOLD ASANTE ACCOUNTABLE FOR CUTS, STAFFING LAW VIOLATIONS, AND ANTI-UNION ACTIVITY SEPT. 8 - 09/04/26

MEDIA AVAILABILITY: ONA nurses and healthcare professionals, along with NICU doctors, will meet with legislators at the Oregon State Capitol Tuesday, Sept. 8. 

Contact Kevin Mealy at 765-760-2203 or mealy@oregonrn.org to arrange media interviews.   

SALEM, OR - Southern Oregon doctors, nurses and techs are traveling to Salem to speak with state legislators about Asante’s healthcare cuts and closures, repeated violations of Oregon’s hospital safe staffing law, and anti-union spending Tuesday, Sept. 8.

In recent years, executives at Asante–Southern Oregon’s largest healthcare system–have:

• Closed maternity and inpatient services at Ashland’s only hospital 
• Closed multiple outpatient clinics
• Closed a Southern Oregon surgery center it partially owned
• Laid off hundreds of local caregivers including NICU doctors
• Outsourced doctors and healthcare workers
• Accrued nearly $1.5 million in state fines for violating Oregon’s hospital safe staffing law
• Failed to meet its community benefit obligations under Oregon law
• Refused to recognize or bargain with union healthcare professionals
• Spent untold amounts on anti-union consultants in possible violation of federal law

These decisions are negatively impacting Oregonians and can contribute to longer waits, rising costs, staffing shortages, and fewer healthcare options for Southern Oregonians.
 

MEDIA INTERVIEWS AVAILABLE: ONA nurses and healthcare professionals, along with local doctors are available for interviews Tuesday, Sept. 8 from noon - 2:30 p.m. Contact Kevin Mealy at 765-760-2203 or mealy@oregonrn.org to arrange interviews. 

Nearly 1, 200 ONA nurses at Asante’s flagship hospital in Medford–Rogue Regional Medical Center–are actively attempting to reach a fair contract that improves staffing and safety, offers fair wage opportunities, and ensures local frontline healthcare providers have a meaningful voice in their community’s healthcare.

Another 250 ONA healthcare professionals–including local radiologic technologists, licensed practical nurses (LPNs), respiratory therapists, physical therapy assistants, occupational therapy assistants and surgical technicians successfull–are also advocating for a fair contract. Unfortunately, Asante executives have repeatedly refused to recognize and bargain with these healthcare professionals despite a federal order to do so.

ONA nurses and health professionals are being joined by local NICU doctors who were fired by Asante executives after voicing concerns about patient safety and staffing.

Healthcare providers are united and eager to meet with legislators and demand Asante:  

• Puts patients before profits and executive compensation
• Invests in safe staffing and patient care
• Is transparent with Southern Oregon communities
• Respects and includes frontline healthcare professionals in healthcare decisions that impact patient care

By working together, nurses, doctors, healthcare professionals and elected officials can protect the future of healthcare in Southern Oregon and ensure Rogue Regional remains a hospital that puts local patients and families first.

###

MEDIA ADVISORY: Hillsboro Nurses To Rally For A Fair Contract Following Cuts To Senior & Emergency Care, August 27 (Photo) - 08/25/26

Local nurses are fighting for a fair contract that keeps experienced providers in Hillsboro after administrators closed hospital units dedicated to senior mental health and emergency observation. 

MEDIA ADVISORY

Nurses Rally for a Fair Contract
Thursday, August 27
4 - 7 p.m.
Speeches at 6:15 p.m.
Hillsboro Medical Center (335 SE 8th Ave, Hillsboro, OR 97123)

WHAT: Local nurses and community allies are rallying for a fair contract following devastating cuts to mental health and emergency services at Hillsboro Medical Center–an OHSU Health partner.

WHEN: Thursday, August 27 from 4 - 7 p.m. Speakers will begin at approximately 6:15 p.m. 

Local nurses will be available for media interviews during the event.
 
WHERE: The intersection of SE Baseline St. and SE 8th Ave. Hillsboro, OR
(In front of Hillsboro Medical Center, 335 SE 8th Ave, Hillsboro, OR 97123)
 
WHO: Frontline nurses and staff from Hillsboro Medical Center along with community supporters.

WHY: The local nurse bargaining team, which represents more than 400 Hillsboro nurses, have spent months bargaining in good faith with Hillsboro hospital executives to come to a fair contract agreement. Despite regular meetings with these nurse leaders, Hillsboro executives didn’t mention their plans to close Hillsboro’s geriatric-psychiatric and emergency observation units–which could cause a statewide shortage of mental healthcare for seniors and increase local emergency room wait times.

Hillsboro’s public closure announcement gave nurses only weeks to try to save these essential health services.

Despite rallying more than 1600 community members and local elected leaders to stop the closures, Hillsboro hospital executives chose to close both units in August, cutting access to local healthcare.

After this breach of trust, local nurses are even more concerned about reaching a fair contract agreement to ensure healthcare services and providers stay in Hillsboro.

In addition to department closures, the hospital has lost more than 20 experienced nurses from its women’s and children department since November–risking delayed care for pregnant moms and babies.

Thursday’s rally is part of nurses’ campaign to reach a fair contract agreement that prevents the future loss of healthcare services and providers and ensures Hillsboro hospital executives live up to the standards their community expects and deserves from their local hospital and its leaders. 

###