Media Advisory: Nurses In OHSU System To Picket Hospitals In Astoria, Hillsboro And Portland June 27 - 29 (Photo) -06/26/23
3,550 nurses at Oregon’s largest hospital (OHSU), the state’s fastest growing rural hospital (Columbia Memorial), and a key suburban hospital (OHSU Hillsboro) are advocating to improve community health care.
WHAT: Frontline nurses and community allies are holding a series of informational pickets at OHSU, OHSU Hillsboro and Columbia Memorial Hospital–an OHSU partner–on June 27 - 29. Nurses are calling on executives at all three facilities to partner with workers to build stronger, safer, healthier and more patient-oriented hospitals. The Oregon Nurses Association (ONA) represents more than 3,550 nurses in the OHSU system–two times more nurses than were represented in last week’s successful strikes against Providence.
Nurses at all three OHSU-affiliated hospitals are fighting for fair contracts that deliver:
- Safe Staffing for Patients
- Nurse Retention & Recruitment
- Safe Working Conditions
Nurses are also advocating for hospital-specific priorities including preparing for future pandemics; advancing justice, equity, diversity and inclusion initiatives; retirement security; and preventing burnout and moral injury.
Nurses at OHSU, OHSU Hillsboro and Columbia Memorial Hospital have been meeting with hospital executives for months to raise standards for patients and health care providers at all three hospitals. Nurses’ contracts at OHSU and OHSU Hillsboro expire June 30. Nurses’ contract at Columbia Memorial Hospital expired May 31.
WHEN & WHERE: Nurses will lead public rallies and informational pickets at:
- Columbia Memorial Hospital in Astoria: Tuesday, June 27, 7-9 a.m. and 5-7 p.m.
Columbia Memorial Hospital (2111 Exchange St., Astoria, OR) - OHSU Hillsboro: Wednesday, June 28, 5-7 p.m.
OHSU Hillsboro (335 SE 8th Ave., Hillsboro, OR) - OHSU in Portland: Thursday, June 29, 5-8 p.m.
The OHSU event will start at OHSU Mac Lawn/Farmer’s Market on Marquam Hill. Participants will go south from Mac Lawn to SW Gibbs/SW Sam Jackson Park Road and march east to the intersection of SW Sam Jackson Park Rd. and SW Pavilion Loop before returning to Mac Lawn.
WHO: ONA frontline nurses from OHSU, OHSU Hillsboro, Columbia Memorial Hospital along with other nurses, health care providers, elected leaders, union partners and community allies. ONA represents more than 3,550 nurses working at OHSU, OHSU Hillsboro and Columbia Memorial Hospital–an OHSU partner.
WHY: Nurses have met with OHSU executives more than 18 times since December 2023 to try to reach a fair agreement which addresses safety issues and meets our communities’ growing health care needs. While local nurses are advocating for the issues that matter to patients: safe staffing; safe hospitals; caregiver recruitment and retention; and preventing health care worker burnout and moral injury–hospital executives are prioritizing their own profits at the expense of patients’ needs.
OHSU’s net worth is at $4 billion and rising–up 10% since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Its growing hospital system is also profiting. Columbia Memorial Hospital is the state’s most profitable non-profit hospital and its fastest growing rural hospital.
Nurses are asking hospital executives to invest their rising profits in patient care improvements; provider retention and recruitment; and safe, accessible, affordable health care for their communities.
The Oregon Nurses Association (ONA) is the state’s largest and most influential nursing organization. We are a professional association and labor union which represents more than 16,000 nurses and allied health workers throughout the state, including more than 3,350 frontline nurses at OHSU, OHSU Hillsboro and Columbia Memorial Hospital. ONA’s mission is to advocate for nursing, quality health care and healthy communities. For more information visit: www.OregonRN.org.
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