Dec. 31, 2024 (Portland, Ore.) - Executives from Providence Health responded to the ten-day strike notice sent by nearly 5,000 caregivers On December 30, 2024, with a slew of misleading claims, even going so far as to try to shame their frontline employees for wanting wages and benefits that are competitive with other health systems.  

In what is perhaps their most misleading claim, Providence executives said they would stop bargaining with their frontline caregivers because they have to “prepare for the strike.” Yet, in the same breath, they also claimed they had been preparing for the strike for months.  

Providence is a $30 billion dollar corporation who employs high-priced attorneys to bargain their contracts. Do Providence executives really think that Oregonians are going to believe that the attorneys who bargain their contracts are going to be recruiting replacement nurses to work at the bedside?  

Their preposterous and contradictory claims are misleading, dangerous, and illegal. 

That is why earlier today, ONA filed an unfair labor practice (ULP) with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) for Providence’s refusal to bargain. Not only is it illegal for them to declare they are not bargaining because of the 10-day strike notice, but it is also irresponsible and not in the best interests of their caregivers or patients.  

There is no way to stop the strike before it starts if Providence refuses to bargain. 

ONA is calling on Providence to stop their misleading rhetoric and come meet with us to reach an agreement on fair contracts before the strike even starts. 

Our members want Providence to invest in safe staffing, allow physicians and other caregivers more time with patients, stop making cuts to employee healthcare, and offer competitive wages and benefits to stop the high turnover of frontline caregivers.  

We are looking for a deal. Where is Providence?