July 31, 2025 (Corvallis, Ore.) – More than 700 nurses in the Mid-Valley successfully reached tentative contract agreements at two Samaritan Health Services hospitals. Nurses at Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center in Corvallis came to a tentative agreement (TA) July 29 while nurses at Samaritan Lebanon Community Hospital reached a TA July 16. Both agreements include key wins for patients and providers including improvements to hospital safety, staffing, healthcare costs, and a stronger voice for providers around hospital closures. The Oregon Nurses Association (ONA) represents frontline nurses at both hospitals.

“I became a nurse because I wanted to help people heal. This agreement helps me and my colleagues do that,” said Tyler McCarty, ONA bargaining unit chair at Good Samaritan Regional Medical Center in Corvallis. “Investing in staffing, safety and retention pays off for our patients. It allows providers to focus on the patient in front of us so we can give everyone in our community the time, attention and care they deserve.”

“We knew what our community needed, we fought for it and we won a contract that delivers for patients and providers,” said Mary Crawford-Seekatz, ONA bargaining unit chair at Samaritan Lebanon Community Hospital. “I’m proud of what we’ve achieved but our work isn’t done. This is a critical moment for our community’s healthcare. We must continue speaking truth to power and fighting to save our birth center and emergency surgery team. Our community puts their trust in us, and we will not let them down.”

TENTATIVE AGREEMENT HIGHLIGHTS:

• Enhanced staffing incentives to help fill critical hospital needs.
• Safety improvements unique to each hospital ranging from increased hospital security and training to employer support following assaults.
• Equal pay for nurse case managers.
• Fair wage increases for all frontline nurses including cost-of-living adjustments of at least 22% over the life of the contract.
• Increases healthcare affordability by limiting health insurance premium increases.
• Prevents Samaritan from closing hospital departments without prior notice.

Nurses at both hospitals had been bargaining since March to reach fair contracts that include safe staffing; safe workplaces; fair wages; affordable healthcare; and a stronger voice for providers to improve local healthcare and prevent job cuts and department closures. These agreements meet nurses’ goals and offer a promising path forward for healthcare providers, patients and their communities.

Nurses at both facilities will begin voting on their respective tentative agreements next week.

Nurses’ previous contracts at Good Samaritan and Samaritan Lebanon expired June 30, 2025.

Despite reaching tentative agreements, ONA nurses at Samaritan plan to continue rallying public support to save local birth centers and emergency surgery teams at Samaritan Lebanon Community Hospital and Samaritan North Lincoln Hospital.

Nurses, doctors, patients, fire chiefs, U.S. Senators and local elected officials are among those publicly calling on Samaritan Health Services to maintain rural and coastal Oregonians’ full access to labor and delivery services.

• Supporters can visit www.SaveOurBirthCenters.com to email Samaritan decisionmakers and ask them to save local birth centers and preserve access to essential care.

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