PORTLAND, Ore. - More than 200 resource pool nurses working at Legacy hospitals in Oregon and Washington overwhelmingly voted to join the Oregon Nurses Association (ONA) July 8. Nurses in Legacy’s resource pool “float” to hospitals throughout the Legacy system to fill vacancies in specialty units including hospital emergency departments, operating rooms, family birth centers, pediatric care centers, behavioral health departments and more.
 
Resource nurses’ unique role as “super-subs” allows them to serve diverse communities across Oregon and Washington and help solve both hospital-specific and systemwide care issues.
 
“I chose to work in the resource pool so I can go wherever I’m needed most,” said Taeryn Gelowicz, Legacy resource pool nurse and ONA member. “My resource pool colleagues are some of the most skilled, caring and flexible nurses I know. We treat the patient in front of us like they’re our own mom or dad. But given the growing uncertainty in healthcare, we knew we needed a voice in Legacy’s decisionmaking to protect what makes our group special and ensure our patients aren’t left behind.” 
 
As they prepare to bargain a first contract with Legacy executives, nurses plan to prioritize adequate staffing, safe workplaces, increased transparency, and provider input into corporate decisionmaking to ensure patients’ needs come first in a rapidly changing healthcare landscape.
 
“Nurses are the most trusted professionals in the United States because we’ve always fought for what’s best for patients. That’s what unionizing is. A bunch of workers coming together to make sure our patients get the best care and nurses get the tools and support we need to provide that care to anyone who needs it,” said Tristan Drury, Legacy resource pool nurse and ONA member.
 
Tuesday’s vote is the latest in a series of union elections at Legacy. In February, more than 2,300 nurses at Legacy Emanuel Medical Center, Randall Children's Hospital at Legacy Emanuel, and Legacy Good Samaritan Medical Center voted to join ONA in a historic win for workers. ONA also represents registered nurses at Legacy Mt. Hood Medical Center, Legacy Silverton Medical Center and Legacy outpatient clinics; nurses and health professionals at Legacy Unity Center for Behavioral Health; and advanced practice providers at Legacy hospitals, Legacy-GoHealth urgent care clinics and women’s clinics.
 
“I love my job, my coworkers and my patients. I chose to unionize because I want a voice to protect the things that I love,” said Jeff Poulsen, Legacy resource pool nurse and ONA member. “Our ability to fill in the gaps and make sure patients don’t feel the pain of nurse shortages is essential. Looking around you can see healthcare is changing locally and nationally. Without a union, we don’t have a say in how those changes impact our patients or our staff. We unionized to make sure the people patients trust with their lives have a say in how we do our work.” 
 
Legacy resource pool nurses filed union authorization cards with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) on May 21, 2025. 
 
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