Oregon's Largest Healthcare Strike: 5,000 Workers to Walk Out

Historic Strike Set to Hit Oregon Healthcare System

PORTLAND, Ore.—A significant strike involving nearly 5,000 healthcare workers, including nurses, doctors, and other medical professionals, is scheduled to commence at 6 a.m. PST on Friday, January 10. This event marks Oregon's largest healthcare strike and the first in the state to involve doctors. The walkout will impact 14 hospitals and clinics managed by Providence Health & Services across Oregon.

The Oregon Nurses Association has reported that the strike is driven by persistent issues at the negotiation table concerning chronic understaffing, increased workloads, and inadequate wages and benefits. Providence Health & Services, the state's leading healthcare provider, has been accused of illegally refusing to negotiate with its employees.

This strike is notably one of the rare instances nationwide where doctors have participated. Physicians from Providence St. Vincent Medical Center and Providence Women’s Clinic will be among those striking.

Press Opportunities with Medical Staff

Pre-Strike Event: Thursday, Jan. 9, at 2 p.m. PST

Location: ONA Office, 18765 SW Boones Ferry Road, #200, Tualatin, Ore.

The press conference will be available via livestream at facebook.com/OregonNursesAssociation.

Strike Day: Friday, Jan. 10, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. PST

Media can engage with striking staff at picket lines located at facilities including Providence St. Vincent, Providence Portland, Providence Milwaukie, Providence Medford, Providence Hood River, and Providence Seaside.

For those unable to attend in person, arrangements for phone or video conferencing can be made by contacting Peter Starzynski at 503-960-7989 or Janet Bass at 301-502-5222.

The striking group comprises frontline caregivers such as doctors, nurses, physician associates, nurse midwives, and nurse practitioners from eight hospitals and six clinics. These include Providence Portland Medical Center, Providence Seaside Hospital, Providence St. Vincent Medical Center, Providence Women’s Clinic, Providence Milwaukie Hospital, Providence Willamette Falls Medical Center, Providence Medford Medical Center, Providence Newberg Medical Center, and Providence Hood River Memorial Hospital. Physicians at Providence St. Vincent are represented by the Pacific Northwest Hospital Medicine Association, which is serviced by ONA.

Recent surveys conducted in the fall revealed that over 90 percent of patients reported negative experiences at Providence facilities within the last three years, and 92 percent expressed support for the striking healthcare workers.

Dr. Gabe Hyder from Providence St. Vincent highlighted, “Providence refuses to make essential investments in patient care in communities across Oregon, allowing our hospitals and clinics to be dangerously understaffed, harming patients and burning out frontline caregivers.” He emphasized the need for competitive wages to attract and retain top talent, adding that the hospital system is not complying with the state's safe staffing law.