PORTLAND, Ore. (KPTV) – Health care workers at two Providence hospitals have voted to authorize what could be the first physician strike in Oregon history.
According to the Oregon Nursing Association, physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, certified nurse midwives, and office nurses at Providence Women's Clinic and Providence St. Vincent Hospital have given their bargaining teams the authority to call a strike if necessary. He said he voted to give it.
If the strike goes ahead, it would be the first physician strike in Oregon history, according to the ONA. It also follows in the footsteps of Providence nurses who staged the largest nursing strike in state history.
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Negotiations for the Providence Women's Clinic began in November 2023, and Providence St. Vincent workers began work in January of this year.
ONA says employees are demanding more time with patients, safer staffing levels, and competitive wages and benefits to recruit and retain more staff.
The organization says it will notify Providence in advance of any strike to allow enough time for patients to be transferred to other facilities and receive the care they need.
FOX 12 has reached out to Providence for comment on the possible attack. The hospital released the following statement:
“Today’s announcement by the Oregon Nursing Association that it is allowing physicians, physician assistants, midwives and others to strike “if necessary” is the latest example of union leaders putting power over patients.
Don't get me wrong. The union leaders' ultimate goal was not to win contracts for their members, but to orchestrate a strike at eight hospitals, including hospital workers at Providence St. Vincent and the Providence Women's Outpatient Clinic, in effect It will disrupt medical care for thousands of people. Patients are trapped in uncertainty.
In effect, union leaders acknowledged in their announcement that, unlike nursing and some other positions, there aren't enough replacement doctors to fill even a long strike. The idea that Providence St. Vincent can simply “stop admissions and transfer patients” is unrealistic and irresponsible. ”
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