Jan. 2, 2025 (Portland, Ore.) - In multiple statements earlier this week, Providence claimed they couldn’t bargain because of the overwhelming burden of having to “recruit and orient” temporary workers.  

Now, under significant public pressure - including from elected officials and the Oregon Nurses Association’s (ONA) public campaign - they suddenly announce to the press they are ready to meet only with the caregivers of their choosing.  

It is important to note that this shift comes conveniently after ONA called on elected officials to intervene and filed an unfair labor practice charge with the NLRB over Providence’s illegal refusal to bargain. 

Are they too busy to negotiate? Are they not? They aren’t too busy to negotiate with the workers they can’t replace, but they are too busy to negotiate with the workers they claim they can?  

Inconsistent. Disingenuous. Contradictory.  

Providence has ignored workers’ calls to negotiate for months – in some cases more than 15 months - even as other hospitals in Oregon and across the country have reached agreements with their healthcare workers to prevent strikes. 

If Providence truly cared about the community or their workers, they would return to the mediation process they walked away from last week or agree to the requests to bargain we sent them directly from all our chief negotiators at each of our tables.  

Caregivers won’t be divided by these calculated moves, and no one should believe Providence’s shifting excuses.