January 22, 2025
Nearly 5,000 Providence health workers across Oregon plan open-ended strike

Roughly 5,000 nurses, hospitalists and other frontline health workers at Providence hospitals and clinics across Oregon are set to go on an open-ended strike starting Jan. 10.

The strike — which would be the largest among health workers in Oregon history — could hobble one of the state’s largest health care systems, and its impact could ripple across the region as patients seek care elsewhere.

While Providence has weathered nurses strikes as recently as this summer, the impending strike would also be the first to include about 70 Providence St. Vincent Medical Center physicians from a rare and recently formed hospitalists union.

The Oregon Nurses Association, which represents nurses and other health care professionals at the Catholic nonprofit health system, announced the strike plan Monday. Health workers are required to give 10 days notice before beginning a strike.

The strike would include Providence Portland, Providence St. Vincent near Beaverton, Providence Milwaukie, Providence Willamette Falls in Oregon City, Providence Hood River, Providence Newberg, Providence Seaside, Providence Medford, and six Providence women’s clinics.

The union said the strike warning comes after workers and Providence failed to reach an agreement following months of bargaining.

Most of the health care workers authorized a strike back in October and November, while nurses at Providence Seaside and Providence Medford gave their go-ahead earlier this month.

Employees say concerns range from wage increases and staffing levels to overall working conditions. These issues grew especially urgent during the pandemic era, which underscored systemic challenges for frontline health care professionals statewide, and have remained prominent amid persistent staffing shortages.

In a statement, Providence Oregon CEO Jennifer Burrows blamed the union for the lack of progress in bargaining talks, claiming union negotiators were unwilling to compromise and sent conflicting signals in response to the health system’s proposals.

“We have been transparent with union leaders that in the event of a work stoppage, bargaining stops to support our priority of ensuring we continue to provide excellent patient care,” Burrows said. “Our leadership teams’ attention will turn to caring for our community during this work stoppage.”

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