Oregon Nurses Association Stages Informational Picket Outside of Providence Newberg

Members of the Oregon Nurses Association (ONA) staged an informational picket outside Providence Newberg Medical Center on Monday, March 18, 2024, to raise awareness about contract negotiations between the association and Providence Newberg.

An informational picket is different than a strike, where an informational picket is a public demonstration of a labor union to inform the public about a matter of concern—work inside the place of employment does not stop.

“Together, healthcare workers are joining forces to demand that Providence’s corporate executives—overseeing a $27 billion operation—address minimal standards eroding the quality of health services for patients,” stated a press release from ONA.

ONA’s contract with Providence expired on December 31, 2023. Providence Newberg Medical Center has been at the bargaining table with ONA since October 4, 2023, according to a press release from Providence. After nine bargaining sessions, most recently on February 14, 2024, nearly all topics have been tentatively agreed upon, according to the release.

“Over the years, there has always been a way to come to agreement, and we believe we solve more by talking than by walking,” stated the release from Providence.

Providence said they are encouraging ONA to utilize a federal mediator, which helped agreements with Providence Portland and Providence Willamette. While the release asserts that ONA is unwilling to work with a mediator, ONA Communications Specialist Myrna Jensen said ONA is more than willing to bring in a mediator; the issue, to her, is Providence’s lack of flexibility in contract terms.

Providence Newberg ICU registered nurse and interim bargaining chair Denise Arnold said employee conditions at the hospital degraded over the past few years. Whereas they previously received free healthcare, they slowly lost that benefit to the point where she needed to put her most recent treatments on a payment plan.

“Ironically, I just had to put my medical bills on a payment plan because I’m so far behind at this time,” she said. “My family currently reaches our max for out-of-pocket every summer. So it’s just tough—I’m getting my pay and sending out $500 every month to Providence.”

This development adds extra strain considering Providence Newberg nurses pay the same for healthcare as nurses in larger metro areas (like Portland) despite receiving less pay. Providence categorizes the Newberg facility as a rural hospital, meaning they have different pay rates than hospitals in Portland and surrounding areas.

“Newberg has essentially become a new grad training ground,” Arnold said. “The knowledge base has been so low because we’re not able to retain our nurses. When they can, they leave to go work at other Providence hospitals for six dollars more per hour.”

With nurses leaving, Arnold said Providence is relying more on traveling nurses, or registered nurses with clinical backgrounds working in non-permanent or temporary nursing roles, according to travelnursing.com.

“You can make almost twice as much (as a travel nurse),” Arnold said. “Travel nurses don’t have that investment in the community, so the level of care is very different.”

Jensen said that while ONA is at the bargaining table, it’s not going to affect patient service and care.

“Throughout this, patients need to know nurses are still going to be at the bedside, helping them, getting them through what they’re going through,” she said. “This picket and all these actions are about making life better for the patients because there is a little chain there—make life better for nurses, nurses are refreshed and ready to work, and they’re not burnt out. They’re coming to work and helping their patients at the absolute top of their ability. And they’re only able to do that if they have the support of their employer.”

Representatives from Providence Newberg did not have any additional comment outside of the press release at this time.

The next bargaining session is scheduled for April 18, 2024.

ONA represents more than 5,000 caregivers throughout the Providence Health System, according to a release from the association, including registered nurses at each of its Oregon hospitals.

Providence is a comprehensive healthcare organization operating hospitals, clinics, and social services across Alaska, California, Montana, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, and Washington.

Oregon Nurses Association Priorities

• Adding Nurses for Safe Patient Assignments: Providence frequently doubles patient assignments during meal periods, with assignments as high as eight patients for one nurse. Our RNs seek safe assignments throughout every shift.
• Safe Caseloads for Attending Clinicians: Establishing safe caseloads for clinicians will help them avoid the current risks of severe patient harm caused by assigning one physician to sixteen or more patients.
• Workplace Safety & Technology: Safety resources include security at all entry points, signage, metal detectors, and technology for clinicians.
• Market Competitive Wages & Differentials: Wages that entice new employees and improve retention among healthcare professionals at the Northwest’s largest health system.
• Market Competitive Health Benefits: Reduction of steep deductibles and out-of-pocket max for ONA and ONA-affiliated caregivers, which are up to $6,000 more per year than competitor health systems in the metro area.