It has been reported that nurses at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center have reached a tentative agreement on a new contract. This averted a strike that the nurses voted for in May. The contract, if ratified, would cover 1,600 registered nurses at the St. Vincent facility. It does not include nurses at two other Providence hospitals. They voted to authorize a strike earlier last week.
The nurses union said that the agreement is for a two-year contract that would “take critical steps” to meet the union’s demands for improved patient care and safety, higher nurse practice standards, keeping healthcare affordable and addressing the ongoing staffing shortages.
Both Providence and the Oregon Nurses Association released statements on Saturday heralding the deal after nearly eight months of negotiations and at least 20 bargaining sessions, KGW reported. The St. Vincent contingent of nurses will hold a vote on whether to approve the contract in the coming weeks, and it would take effect immediately if ratified.
According to ONA, the deal includes guarantees for better access to personal protective equipment (PPE) and requires efforts from Providence to better manage staffing levels. It also includes an increase in wages of up to 14% over the next two years, which they expect to both help with retention and attract more nurses to the hospital.
The nurses union is still bargaining individually with Providence Willamette Falls, Providence Milwaukie, and Providence Hood River. Nurses at Hood River are working to organize an informational picket, ONA said, but have not approached a strike authorization vote.
