The Feb. 24 announcement concludes a 46-day strike by the ONA. Nurses had been in negotiations with Providence for more than a year before reaching a tentative agreement last week.
“These contracts represent a major victory for frontline caregivers, but more importantly it’s a victory for Providence patients and the communities we serve,” Virginia Smith, RN, said in an ONA news release. “As RNs, we believe that these contracts will lead to greater recruitment and retention of front-line nurses as wages become more aligned with other health systems, and we have staffing language that will allow us to spend more time with the patients that need the most care.”
The agreements cover RN bargaining units at Providence St. Vincent, Providence Portland, Providence Milwaukie, Providence Willamette Falls, Providence Newberg, Providence Hood River, Providence Seaside and Providence Medford.
According to the union release, the contracts include:
- Wage increases ranging from 20% to 42% over the contract’s duration, with an immediate 16% to 22% raise upon ratification.
- Staffing plans that factor in patient acuity.
- Retroactive pay for nurses at bargaining units with contracts that expired before December, covering 75% of all hours worked last year.
- A $2,500 ratification bonus for nurses at Providence Portland Medical Center and Providence Seaside.
- A new statewide health benefits workgroup to examine existing plans and “explore the creation of a statewide health benefits trust.”
- Guaranteed break and meal pay.
Nearly 5,000 employees across 11 bargaining units — including nurses at eight Providence hospitals in Oregon and some physicians at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center and the Providence Women’s Clinic — struck Jan. 10 in what was estimated to be Oregon’s largest healthcare strike.
While some bargaining units had approved new labor deals, nurses from the eight Providence hospitals remained on strike. The nurses are slated to return to work Feb. 26, according to the ONA.
“Providence Oregon is pleased that union-represented RNs at all eight Oregon hospitals voted to approve new contracts and end their strikes,” Providence said in a statement shared with Becker’s. “We recognize the challenges faced over the past six weeks and are proud of these agreements that address issues the union bargaining teams identified as priorities during negotiations.
“We are grateful to the bargaining teams from Providence ministries and the union for their collaborative work on finding common ground. We look forward to working in cooperation to find sustainable solutions to Oregon’s future healthcare needs.”