This week, after our 95% vote to authorize a strike, our bargaining team will continue to attempt to reach an agreement or may go ahead and issue our 10-day notice to go on strike. This is an incredibly heavy decision and ultimately it sits with management to make significant movement in negotiations immediately or our team will have no choice. Management has conveyed that they do wish to reach an agreement before a 10-day notice has been issued. Clearly, our members showed management more must be done immediately.

As such, mediation continues tomorrow, Thursday, Sept. 21. If significant progress is made, we may agree to mediate on Friday, Sept. 22. If significant progress cannot be made at any point, our AURN bargaining team may now be forced to call for a strike. But we would do so only if we do not think a deal can be reached that is worthy of taking to our membership for a ratification vote. If our bargaining team reaches a tentative agreement with management on everything, including all contract articles, appendices, exhibits, and MOUs then we will hold a vote of all full dues paying AURN members. Before the vote is held, copies of all documents and a full summary will be provided with time for all members to review and ask questions. We will likely hold meetings to answer questions and make sure everyone is fully prepared to vote. If the tentative agreement is voted through by the membership, then it will be a final ratified agreement.

We know that the next couple days will be filled with anxiousness and frustration, but also hope. Hope that management finally hears us.  Hope that we do not have to strike. Hope that OHSU becomes a place that we can be proud to work at, proud to recruit new people to come to, and proud to bring our family and friends to receive care. Please know that our bargaining team shares the same feelings and hopes as all our members.

We will communicate each day to let you know if an agreement is reached, or if we are forced to issue our 10-day notice. To get up to date information, be sure to utilize the hard working and amazing contract action team (CAT) members in each of your units. If you hear other things from management in the meantime, as we all learned in nursing school, always verify information and check your sources.

In Solidarity,
Your AURN Bargaining Team