Providence Health Workers May Strike As No Agreement Could Be Reached
MEDFORD, Ore. — No agreement was reached by the conclusion of the expedited mediation between Providence Health & Services and almost 5,000 frontline healthcare workers represented by the Oregon Nurses Association (ONA) on December 20, 2024. Workers may strike if the parties don’t resolve their differences by the end of the cooling-off period.
No Agreement Reached Between Providence Health And Frontline Healthcare Workers
ONA seeks to improve patient care and create a sustainable caregiver working environment.
After five days of intensive negotiations aimed at resolving longstanding disputes over staffing levels, patient safety, and compensation at 11 hospitals and clinics across Oregon, including some workers at Providence Medford Medical Center (PMMC), no agreement could be reached despite that the negotiations have spanned over 15 months in some cases.
Healthcare workers cited Providence’s refusal to address core issues as a barrier to progress.
The key issues raised by the ONA are competitive wages, compliance with Oregon’s staffing laws, and adequate resources to ensure patient safety. ONA has accused Providence of neglecting its obligations to healthcare workers and their communities.
Providence Health Workers May Strike
Healthcare professionals, including doctors, nurses, physician associates, nurse midwives, and nurse practitioners at facilities such as Providence Portland, Seaside, St. Vincent, and others across the state, would be affected by a strike and the Pacific Northwest Hospital Medicine Association (PNWHMA), representing physicians and advanced practice providers at Providence St. Vincent, are also involved in the process.
The end of mediation starts the five-day “cooling-off” period ending on December 26, 2024, during which neither party may issue a strike notice.
Negotiations are expected to resume, but if no agreement is reached, ONA has indicated it may issue a 10-day strike notice. An ONA representative said, “If Providence is unwilling to address the serious concerns of our members, we will go on strike.”