“Cooling-off period” ends December 26, opening the door for strike notice issuance  

December 24, 2024 (Portland, Ore.) – The Oregon Nurses Association (ONA) is deeply disappointed that Monday’s mediated bargaining session with Providence Health & Services ended – yet again – without a deal. After a five-day intensive expedited mediation last week with federal mediators, ONA had high hopes that Providence would return to the table on Monday, December 23, 2024, ready to reach a fair contract.  

The nearly 5,000 frontline caregivers at 8 hospitals and 6 clinics across Oregon were eager to see meaningful movement from their employer yesterday but ended the day disappointed and frustrated yet again.   

The parties are just two days away from the end of a “cooling-off” period during which strike notices cannot be issued. After the cooling-off period concludes on Thursday, December 26, ONA will be free to issue a 10-day strike notice at any time if a deal is not reached.  

The parties have paused negotiations for December 24 and 25, in recognition of the holiday. Discussions through mediation will continue on Thursday, December 26. 

The caregivers affected by Providence’s inaction include doctors, nurses, physician associates, nurse midwives, and nurse practitioners (among others) working at Providence Portland, Seaside, St. Vincent, Providence Women’s Clinic, Milwaukie, Willamette Falls, Medford, Newberg, and Hood River. Physicians and advanced practice providers at Providence St. Vincent, represented by the Pacific Northwest Hospital Medicine Association (PNWHMA) and serviced by ONA, are also part of these negotiations.  

Providence’s refusal to address critical concerns such as dangerous understaffing, patient safety, and competitive wages and benefits, has stalled progress and forced healthcare workers to consider all options to protect their patients and their professions.  

Providence’s statement yesterday claiming ONA’s concerns are “premature” is embarrassingly tone deaf; dismissing the concerns of nearly 5,000 of their employees ignores the length of time these members have been seeking a fair contract (some for longer than 15 months), the number of caregivers currently working without a contract, and the urgency of reaching a deal for the thousands of Providence patients worried about a potential strike.  

ONA remains 100% committed to bargaining for a fair contract at any time. If Providence continues to fail in addressing the serious concerns of their frontline caregivers, we have little option other than to go on strike.   

Strike schools and trainings have begun in earnest at all impacted facilities in preparation for a strike action, and ONA is receiving commitments from a broad range of unions and community organizations across the state to provide financial assistance and volunteer support if and when a strike occurs.  

Community members who want to support these frontline caregivers can visit oregonrn.org/patientsbeforeprofits to learn more about the ongoing negotiations and stay informed about potential next steps, including details of any strike action.