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The largest healthcare strike in Oregon history entered its first full week on Jan. 13. Nearly 5,000 physicians, nurses, advanced practice providers, certified nurse midwives, and other medical professionals at eight Providence hospitals and six Providence Women’s Clinics are demanding fair treatment and better working conditions. The workers are represented by the Oregon Nurses Association and the Pacific Northwest Hospital Medicine Association.
The pressure of striking workers and support from the community and elected officials has moved the needle, with Providence announcing on Jan. 14 that it is ready to get back to bargaining—with all 11 bargaining units. Providence has been spending an estimated $25.39 million per week on replacement nurses—approximately $1,400 per replacement nurse per day. This does not include the immeasurable cost of the replacement hospitalists and other caregivers from Providence St. Vincent and Providence Women’s Clinics.
The strike gained momentum with a rally on Jan. 11 that drew national, state and local leaders to the state to support the workers on the picket lines. The speakers included AFT President Randi Weingarten, AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler, Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-Ore.), and state lawmakers as well as labor and faith leaders. Their message to striking workers was clear: They deserve respect, safe staffing and fair wages and benefits.
Rally speakers slammed Providence administrators for putting profits over people, highlighting economic disparities between Providence facilities, understaffing and inadequate leave policies. Dr. Jen Lincoln, a hospitalist at St. Vincent, captured the frustration felt by many: “We unionized as a group of 70 hospitalists to demand the resources we need to provide the quality care that earned St Vincent's its top 50 hospital distinction three years in a row,” said Lincoln. “Did the executives get that, or was it the doctors and the nurses who got them that distinction? I think it was us.”
Lincoln’s words resonated with the crowd, drawing attention to the excessive pay of Providence’s CEO and the untenable workloads healthcare workers face daily. “I am tired of our CEO making millions while we're asked to do more with less,” she said.
The rally was a powerful display of solidarity. AFT President Randi Weingarten fired up the crowd with a reminder of their collective strength. “They [Providence] wouldn’t even bargain in good faith until we did something we didn’t want to do, so we need to send them this message: ‘one day longer, one day stronger.’”
The rally also underscored the broader community’s backing. Rep. Bonamici shared a powerful moment from the picket line about a carpenter walking alongside healthcare workers explaining that when she asked why he was there, he said, “because a couple of months ago, my daughter gave birth here, and the nurses who took care of her and my new grandson are worth standing up for.”
Healthcare workers remain united and committed to negotiating in good faith to secure fair contracts and improve care for their patients. This strike is about achieving lasting, meaningful change for workers and patients alike. You can support these members by signing the petition telling Providence to stop ignoring workers’ calls for safe staffing and fair wages.
[Adrienne Coles]