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News Release

Legacy Advanced Practice Providers Ratify Historic First Union Contract After 29-Day Strike - 01/02/26

PORTLAND, Ore. — Legacy Health advanced practice providers (APPs) have overwhelmingly voted to ratify their first union contract, marking a historic victory for frontline healthcare workers and a major turning point in labor relations at Legacy Health. The contract includes across-the-board pay raises, accelerated timelines for raises, and new protections for APPs if Legacy makes unilateral decisions about the workplace.

 

The landmark agreement follows a 29-day strike that began December 2, when APPs walked off the job demanding respect for their work, competitive pay, and a sustainable future for patient care. The first contract is a clear demonstration of what healthcare workers can win when they stand together.

 

“We’re incredibly proud of what we accomplished together on the strike line,” said Megan Barckert, a nurse practitioner (NP) in oncology and member of the bargaining team. “Advanced practice providers make up 41% of all providers nationally, and that number is steadily growing. Our strike is a clear representation of this changing market. APPs are integral leaders within healthcare, and our voices will not be silenced.”

 

Over the course of the strike, Legacy management dramatically shifted their position. Prior to the strike, executives said they would not bargain or improve their “last, best, and final” offer. During the strike, however, Legacy APPs and management met numerous times at the bargaining table, ultimately reaching an improved second tentative agreement that delivers accelerated pay increases, a fourth raise, and new protections against unilateral workplace changes.

 

The ratified contract represents a breakthrough not only for APPs, but for workers across Legacy Health. Long considered a historically low–union density health system in Oregon, Legacy has undergone a dramatic transformation—especially in 2025.

 

While the Legacy APPs who were just on strike joined the Oregon Nurses Association (ONA) in December 2023, nearly 2,900 frontline Legacy workers—including registered nurses (RNs) and APPs—joined ONA in 2025 alone. This includes more than 2,300 RNs at Legacy Emanuel, Randall, and Good Samaritan hospitals who voted to unionize in January 2025, a campaign that was three decades in the making. Those workers are still bargaining their first contracts.

 

During the strike, APPs were joined by their colleagues from Legacy GoHealth and Legacy Pediatrics in “solidarity strikes,” an uncommon event in healthcare settings and a powerful demonstration of the growing unionization at Legacy. APPs at GoHealth and Pediatrics are among the groups that organized with ONA in 2025.

 

This shift reflects growing discontent among healthcare workers in an increasingly corporatized healthcare system—one that asks frontline caregivers to do more with less while patients wait longer for care, and executive compensation continues to rise. These issues are not unique to Legacy, but the scale of organizing and the number of first contracts being negotiated is.

 

The agreement comes more than two years after APPs joined ONA and follows over 18 months of bargaining.

 

Among other things, Key provisions of the historic contract include, among other things:

  • Across-the-board wage increases and clearer pay scales, moving multiple departments into higher pay tiers. The agreement represents meaningful progress toward competitive compensation, which will improve recruitment and retention.
  • Regular cost-of-living adjustments, increased extra-shift pay, and enhanced compensation for night and extended shifts.
  • Accelerated pay increases across the life of the contract, with no caps on raises, and an additional fourth raise.
  • Just-cause protections for discipline and termination, ensuring due process and fairness.
  • A new Labor–Management Committee to improve communication and proactively address workplace issues.

Perhaps most importantly, the contract ends an era of one-sided decision-making at Legacy. APPs now have enforceable rights, a real voice on the job, and a union contract that sets clear standards.

 

“This historic strike and ratification send a clear message: Legacy is now a union shop,” continued Barckert. “There will be no more unilateral decision-making by Legacy, no more shortchanging providers, and far more solidarity and strength for frontline workers.”

 

APPs already ended their strike on December 30 and began the process of returning to work as part of the tentative agreement.

 

The Oregon Nurses Association (ONA) represents a diverse community of more than 24,000 nurses and healthcare 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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Legacy Advanced Practice Providers Ratify Historic First Union Contract After 29-Day Strike - 01/02/26

PORTLAND, Ore. — Legacy Health advanced practice providers (APPs) have overwhelmingly voted to ratify their first union contract, marking a historic victory for frontline healthcare workers and a major turning point in labor relations at Legacy Health. The contract includes across-the-board pay raises, accelerated timelines for raises, and new protections for APPs if Legacy makes unilateral decisions about the workplace.

 

The landmark agreement follows a 29-day strike that began December 2, when APPs walked off the job demanding respect for their work, competitive pay, and a sustainable future for patient care. The first contract is a clear demonstration of what healthcare workers can win when they stand together.

 

“We’re incredibly proud of what we accomplished together on the strike line,” said Megan Barckert, a nurse practitioner (NP) in oncology and member of the bargaining team. “Advanced practice providers make up 41% of all providers nationally, and that number is steadily growing. Our strike is a clear representation of this changing market. APPs are integral leaders within healthcare, and our voices will not be silenced.”

 

Over the course of the strike, Legacy management dramatically shifted their position. Prior to the strike, executives said they would not bargain or improve their “last, best, and final” offer. During the strike, however, Legacy APPs and management met numerous times at the bargaining table, ultimately reaching an improved second tentative agreement that delivers accelerated pay increases, a fourth raise, and new protections against unilateral workplace changes.

 

The ratified contract represents a breakthrough not only for APPs, but for workers across Legacy Health. Long considered a historically low–union density health system in Oregon, Legacy has undergone a dramatic transformation—especially in 2025.

 

While the Legacy APPs who were just on strike joined the Oregon Nurses Association (ONA) in December 2023, nearly 2,900 frontline Legacy workers—including registered nurses (RNs) and APPs—joined ONA in 2025 alone. This includes more than 2,300 RNs at Legacy Emanuel, Randall, and Good Samaritan hospitals who voted to unionize in January 2025, a campaign that was three decades in the making. Those workers are still bargaining their first contracts.

 

During the strike, APPs were joined by their colleagues from Legacy GoHealth and Legacy Pediatrics in “solidarity strikes,” an uncommon event in healthcare settings and a powerful demonstration of the growing unionization at Legacy. APPs at GoHealth and Pediatrics are among the groups that organized with ONA in 2025.

 

This shift reflects growing discontent among healthcare workers in an increasingly corporatized healthcare system—one that asks frontline caregivers to do more with less while patients wait longer for care, and executive compensation continues to rise. These issues are not unique to Legacy, but the scale of organizing and the number of first contracts being negotiated is.

 

The agreement comes more than two years after APPs joined ONA and follows over 18 months of bargaining.

 

Among other things, Key provisions of the historic contract include, among other things:

  • Across-the-board wage increases and clearer pay scales, moving multiple departments into higher pay tiers. The agreement represents meaningful progress toward competitive compensation, which will improve recruitment and retention.
  • Regular cost-of-living adjustments, increased extra-shift pay, and enhanced compensation for night and extended shifts.
  • Accelerated pay increases across the life of the contract, with no caps on raises, and an additional fourth raise.
  • Just-cause protections for discipline and termination, ensuring due process and fairness.
  • A new Labor–Management Committee to improve communication and proactively address workplace issues.

Perhaps most importantly, the contract ends an era of one-sided decision-making at Legacy. APPs now have enforceable rights, a real voice on the job, and a union contract that sets clear standards.

 

“This historic strike and ratification send a clear message: Legacy is now a union shop,” continued Barckert. “There will be no more unilateral decision-making by Legacy, no more shortchanging providers, and far more solidarity and strength for frontline workers.”

 

APPs already ended their strike on December 30 and began the process of returning to work as part of the tentative agreement.

 

The Oregon Nurses Association (ONA) represents a diverse community of more than 24,000 nurses and healthcare 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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