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News Release

Federal Government Orders Asante To Recognize Healthcare Professionals’ Union And Begin Bargaining A Contract At Rogue Regional Hospital - 06/04/26

Healthcare techs and licensed professional nurses (LPNs) at Asante Rogue Regional have been waiting nearly 3 years for Asante executives to honor their union vote 

(MEDFORD, Ore.) - In a long-awaited ruling, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) ordered Asante executives to recognize and bargain a contract with healthcare workers at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center on June 3. The order is the latest in a nearly 3-year-long legal battle as Asante repeatedly and illegally refused to recognize technical workers’ overwhelming vote to be in a union. The NLRB ruled Asante must now recognize the union and begin bargaining a fair contract. The decision also orders Asante executives to provide basic information to workers including employee lists, wage data and benefit information.

 

The more than 250 healthcare technical workers at Rogue Regional overwhelmingly voted to join the Oregon Nurses Association (ONA) on June 9, 2023 citing a need for safe staffing, affordable healthcare, fair pay and benefits, and a voice in local healthcare decisions.   

 

Following the successful union vote, Asante executives spent years attempting to stall and subvert workers’ will with a series of failed legal challenges. Today’s announcement is the final decision from the National Labor Relations Board, the independent federal agency which oversees union elections, protects workers’ rights and decide unfair labor practices.

 

“This is a monumental victory for local patients, healthcare professionals and everyone in the Rogue Valley. Asante executives are cashing outrageous paychecks while cutting local care and ignoring the healthcare workers who make our hospital run,” said Fred Katz, RN, the ONA registered nurse (RN) bargaining unit chair at Asante Rogue Regional. “Techs and LPNs take tremendous pride in their work and our community. They chose to unionize more than 3 years ago so they could hold Asante executives and board members accountable to Southern Oregonians and ensure the hospital invests in local patient care, staffing and safety improvements. Today’s order is a critical step to keep Asante’s executives and board honest and ensure they live by the same laws as everyone else. Asante executives must stop stalling and sit down at the bargaining table with techs to protect patients, retain caregivers and put our community and its healthcare first.”

 

The NLRB found Asante committed multiple unfair labor practices by refusing to recognize and bargain with the union and by failing to provide basic information as required under federal law.   

 

Calling Asante’s behavior an “unlawful failure” the NLRB has ordered Asante to remedy its violations by: 

  • Ceasing and desisting its unlawful activities 
  • Beginning bargaining with the caregivers’ union upon request 
  • Providing workers and their union the majority of requested information 
  • Publicly posting a notice it has violated federal law 

Read the full decision on the NLRB's website.

 

The healthcare technical workers bargaining unit at Rogue Regional includes more than 250 radiologic technologists, licensed practical nurses (LPNs), respiratory therapists, physical therapy assistants, occupational therapy assistants and surgical technicians. Technical workers are the unseen experts behind nearly every diagnosis and treatment. Techs take patients' X-rays, MRIs, and ultrasounds; help people recover through physical and occupational therapy; provide life-saving respiratory care; assist during surgeries; and support patients and families through some of the most difficult moments of their lives. While often behind the scenes, their work is essential to the health and safety of our community. 

 

ONA also represents a separate bargaining unit of more than 1,200 frontline registered nurses (RNs) at Rogue Regional. 

 

Asante is a multimillion-dollar healthcare system that is the largest healthcare provider in 9 counties across Southern Oregon and Northern California. Asante executives have been increasingly under fire for closing maternity and inpatient services at Ashland’s only hospital; racking up more than $1 million in state fines for violating Oregon’s safe staffing law; outsourcing local doctors and healthcare workers; and leading repeated mass layoffs affecting hundreds of caregivers and their families throughout Southern Oregon. Asante executives are also facing additional unfair labor practice charges (ULPs), including allegations that Asante unlawfully interfered with workers’ rights to organize, threatened workers about the consequences of voting for a union, disciplined an employee for speaking about patient safety with local journalists, and prevented union representatives from visiting the hospital. 

 

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Federal Government Orders Asante To Recognize Healthcare Professionals’ Union And Begin Bargaining A Contract At Rogue Regional Hospital - 06/04/26

Healthcare techs and licensed professional nurses (LPNs) at Asante Rogue Regional have been waiting nearly 3 years for Asante executives to honor their union vote 

(MEDFORD, Ore.) - In a long-awaited ruling, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) ordered Asante executives to recognize and bargain a contract with healthcare workers at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center on June 3. The order is the latest in a nearly 3-year-long legal battle as Asante repeatedly and illegally refused to recognize technical workers’ overwhelming vote to be in a union. The NLRB ruled Asante must now recognize the union and begin bargaining a fair contract. The decision also orders Asante executives to provide basic information to workers including employee lists, wage data and benefit information.

 

The more than 250 healthcare technical workers at Rogue Regional overwhelmingly voted to join the Oregon Nurses Association (ONA) on June 9, 2023 citing a need for safe staffing, affordable healthcare, fair pay and benefits, and a voice in local healthcare decisions.   

 

Following the successful union vote, Asante executives spent years attempting to stall and subvert workers’ will with a series of failed legal challenges. Today’s announcement is the final decision from the National Labor Relations Board, the independent federal agency which oversees union elections, protects workers’ rights and decide unfair labor practices.

 

“This is a monumental victory for local patients, healthcare professionals and everyone in the Rogue Valley. Asante executives are cashing outrageous paychecks while cutting local care and ignoring the healthcare workers who make our hospital run,” said Fred Katz, RN, the ONA registered nurse (RN) bargaining unit chair at Asante Rogue Regional. “Techs and LPNs take tremendous pride in their work and our community. They chose to unionize more than 3 years ago so they could hold Asante executives and board members accountable to Southern Oregonians and ensure the hospital invests in local patient care, staffing and safety improvements. Today’s order is a critical step to keep Asante’s executives and board honest and ensure they live by the same laws as everyone else. Asante executives must stop stalling and sit down at the bargaining table with techs to protect patients, retain caregivers and put our community and its healthcare first.”

 

The NLRB found Asante committed multiple unfair labor practices by refusing to recognize and bargain with the union and by failing to provide basic information as required under federal law.   

 

Calling Asante’s behavior an “unlawful failure” the NLRB has ordered Asante to remedy its violations by: 

  • Ceasing and desisting its unlawful activities 
  • Beginning bargaining with the caregivers’ union upon request 
  • Providing workers and their union the majority of requested information 
  • Publicly posting a notice it has violated federal law 

Read the full decision on the NLRB's website.

 

The healthcare technical workers bargaining unit at Rogue Regional includes more than 250 radiologic technologists, licensed practical nurses (LPNs), respiratory therapists, physical therapy assistants, occupational therapy assistants and surgical technicians. Technical workers are the unseen experts behind nearly every diagnosis and treatment. Techs take patients' X-rays, MRIs, and ultrasounds; help people recover through physical and occupational therapy; provide life-saving respiratory care; assist during surgeries; and support patients and families through some of the most difficult moments of their lives. While often behind the scenes, their work is essential to the health and safety of our community. 

 

ONA also represents a separate bargaining unit of more than 1,200 frontline registered nurses (RNs) at Rogue Regional. 

 

Asante is a multimillion-dollar healthcare system that is the largest healthcare provider in 9 counties across Southern Oregon and Northern California. Asante executives have been increasingly under fire for closing maternity and inpatient services at Ashland’s only hospital; racking up more than $1 million in state fines for violating Oregon’s safe staffing law; outsourcing local doctors and healthcare workers; and leading repeated mass layoffs affecting hundreds of caregivers and their families throughout Southern Oregon. Asante executives are also facing additional unfair labor practice charges (ULPs), including allegations that Asante unlawfully interfered with workers’ rights to organize, threatened workers about the consequences of voting for a union, disciplined an employee for speaking about patient safety with local journalists, and prevented union representatives from visiting the hospital. 

 

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