(PORTLAND, Ore.) – Approximately 1800 nurses and clinicians represented by the Oregon Nurses Association (ONA) at Providence Portland, Providence Seaside and Providence Home Health and Hospice had near unanimous votes to authorize three strikes. The strikes are to protest Providence’s illegal unfair labor practices (ULPs) and were taken in response to eroding standards of care across Providence's extensive healthcare system. Once a local Catholic health system, Providence has grown into a national conglomerate with fifty-one hospitals generating around $20 billion in annual revenue as one of the ten largest health systems in the United States and the largest in Oregon. 

“Enough is enough. The fact that an overwhelming number of nurses and clinicians voted yes shows that we know our worth. We’re tired of the lip service from Providence,” said Richard Botterill, RN and bargaining unit chair for Providence Portland. “We’ve told them for years that we need a wage and benefit package that recruits and retains experienced staff. Our nurses and clinicians have shown that we are prepared to act if they cannot work with us to achieve the contracts we deserve.”  

The votes, which closed at 5 p.m. on Sunday, June 4, saw unprecedented participation from the ONA-represented nurses and clinicians. ONA caregivers say patient safety concerns resulting from unsafe increases to patient assignments, the overuse of temporary nurses, and the failure to retain experienced caregivers risk patient lives and the long-term stability of care for Oregonians.     

"Above all, home health and hospice clinicians are fighting for working conditions that allow us to provide safe patient care,” said Sharon Barbosa, RN and bargaining unit chair for Providence Home Health and Hospice. “Providence increased our caseloads up to 70% in the middle of a global pandemic. Under these conditions, necessary care is delayed, patients suffer, and clinicians continue to flee Providence. Those of us who are left have no choice but to take this stand to protect our patients."

Nurses and clinicians have been engaged in contract negotiations since Fall of 2022, meeting repeatedly with Providence management. ONA caregivers are focused on staffing for stable patient care across the hospital, home health, and hospice care settings. ONA's proposals seek to prioritize permanent nurses over less trained and more costly temporary nurses and improve the retention of the most qualified nurses and clinicians who continue to leave the bedside. Our key issues include ensuring adequate staffing across care settings and increasing paid leave hours. Providence is behind other local health system employers for total paid leave and does not have sick leave banks. ONA caregivers are also advocating for increased compensation to fill open shifts, thus providing enough nursing care for patients.

“Seaside patients deserve more than unsafe staffing levels and poorly functioning equipment. We need Providence to invest in us,” said Nate Weiler, RN and bargaining unit chair for Providence Seaside. “We are a critical access hospital, and the next closest hospital is a 40-minute drive, which means Seaside residents come here for their care. The cost to live here has grown exponentially and it’s past time we have pay equity with Portland nurses, especially if we want to retain and recruit nurses to care for our community.”

Negotiations continue for all three units this week. When a strike is called, ONA will give Providence a 10-day notice to allow management adequate time to cease admissions and transfer patients or to reach a fair agreement with nurses and avert a work stoppage. 

ONA has launched RespectOurNurses.com as an online resource for community members where they can learn more about contract issues, get information on the implications of a strike, and learn how to support nurses and clinicians in their fight for a fair contract.

The Oregon Nurses Association (ONA) is the state’s largest and most influential nursing organization. We are a professional association and labor union which represents more than 16,000 nurses and allied health workers throughout the state. ONA’s mission is to advocate for nursing, quality health care and healthy communities. For more information visit: www.OregonRN.org.

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