May 31, 2024 (Portland, Ore.) - Doctors, nurses, physician associates, nurse midwives and other Providence employees came together for a joint press conference on Thursday, May 30 demanding that Providence executives come to the table and bargain fair contracts that put patients before profits. Caregivers from Providence hospitals and clinics in Oregon are also asking for a say in scheduling, retirement and health benefits and market-rate wages.  

“Before the pandemic, our patient capacity as set by Providence for a 12-hour shift was 24. Today, that number has skyrocketed to an arbitrary 36. What was once considered exceptional circumstances has become the norm. In the last 30 days alone, I have not seen less than 36 patients in a single shift,” said Piper Sullivan, a physician associate from Providence Immediate Care in Sherwood and a speaker at the press conference. “To quote recent [Providence] leadership communication in regards to our patient capacity policy, ‘it is a hard day, but it does not cross over into unreasonable or unsafe for urgent care.’ We are drowning and have been drowning.” 

“We have often been told by Providence that we cost the hospital money rather than make any profit and that we need to do more to make more money. And the net negative is true on the surface. Obstetrics is a field that is poorly compensated by insurance companies. What you don’t see is our level 3 neonatal intensive care unit, it is undeniably profitable,” said Dr. Jennifer Lincoln, an OBGYN from Providence St. Vincent. “Without our 24/7/365 presence as OB hospitalists on the unit, the NICU as it operates today would not exist because the very sick babies born in our hospital would be sent somewhere else. The pregnant patients who are hospitalized on our fabulous perinatal special care unit, sometimes for months at a time, would be transferred to a different hospital were we not a few steps away to intervene or perform a lifesaving emergency Cesarean section at a moment’s notice. So, I would say we make the hospital money.” 

During the press conference, it was announced that ONA-represented nurses from six Providence hospitals had overwhelmingly authorized strikes if necessary. From June 4-7, nurses at Providence St. Vincent, Newberg, Medford, Willamette Falls, Hood River and Milwaukie will meet with management for central mediation. Despite months of negotiations, Providence has failed to move on nurses’ top priorities of affordable healthcare, safe staffing language in the contract, and wages that are competitive with other area hospitals. ONA has filed multiple unfair labor practices (ULPs) alleging the following: refusal to bargain; bargaining in bad faith; unilateral implementation of mandatory subjects, denial of access to employee representatives and retaliation against union leaders. 

To view the full press conference, visit ONA’s Facebook page.