Members of the Oregon Nurses Association have approved a new contract with Providence Hood River (Ore.) Memorial Hospital that includes increased pay.
The two-year contract, approved Oct. 20, covers about 150 nurses at the hospital, according to hospital and ONA statements shared with Becker's on Nov. 3. Providence Hood River is a full-service, critical-access hospital; it is part of Providence, which has system offices in Renton, Wash., and Irvine, Calif.
Under the new contract, nurses will receive wage increases between 14 percent and 21 percent over the next two years (not counting increases to differentials/premium pay), with the most significant raises going to the lowest-paid nurses, the union said.
The ONA said the agreement also bolsters unit-based and hospitalwide staffing committees, limits health insurance cost increases and improves bilingual differentials.
Brittany Foss, RN, ONA executive committee co-chair at Providence Hood River, said in a news release, "I'm proud of the courageous nurses who stood up to fight for our patients, for each other and for individuals and families throughout the Gorge. One contract can't solve all the problems we face, but this agreement is a clear win for our community. By improving patient care, paying workers fair wages, keeping healthcare affordable and starting to address Providence's staffing crisis, we will be better able to recruit and retain skilled nurses and expand access to care so everyone in our community can get the help they need, when they need it."
In a statement shared with Becker's, the hospital said it is pleased nurses approved the agreement and that "both parties participated in bargaining sessions for the past eight months and have worked through the contract terms of wages, staffing and the work environment. We are proud of the hard work the Providence Hood River leadership and the Oregon Nurses Association teams did to negotiate the new contract. Our nurses are a critical part of the team that provides the high-quality, mission-focused care we deliver every day."
The new contract runs through March 31, 2024.