Bend, OR – Oregon’s healthcare landscape is set to experience an unprecedented disruption as approximately 5,000 nurses, physicians, and advanced practitioners plan to strike across all eight Providence Health hospitals in the state starting January 10. The strike announcement follows weeks of intense negotiations between the Oregon Nurses Association (ONA) and Providence Health, which have failed to yield a resolution. This work stoppage marks the first time in recent Oregon history that physicians and advanced practitioners will join nurses on the picket line.

The dispute centers around growing frustration within Providence’s workforce, particularly among nurses, hospitalists, and other healthcare providers, who say that increasing corporate pressures are compromising patient care. The ONA has accused Providence of prioritizing profits over patient needs, which union representatives claim has led to burnout and a reduction in time spent with patients.

In a statement, the ONA emphasized that the strike is a result of what they describe as the “corporatization of healthcare,” which has left many Providence employees “frustrated and burnt out.” The union also pointed to the company’s focus on cost-cutting measures, which they argue have eroded care quality and strained staff.

First-Ever Strike Involving Physicians

At the heart of this labor dispute is Providence St. Vincent, the largest hospital in the state, where 70 hospitalists, physician associates, and nurse practitioners will participate in the strike. These hospitalists are the primary care doctors who manage day-to-day patient care, and their absence will pose a significant challenge to the hospital’s ability to operate effectively.

In addition to St. Vincent’s hospitalists, the strike will also include 80 obstetricians, gynecologists, certified midwives, and nurse practitioners at Providence’s six women’s clinics in the Portland metro area. This represents a significant expansion of the strike, with professionals from across various specialties joining the action.

Raymond Moreno, Chief Medical Officer at Providence St. Vincent, acknowledged the difficulty of replacing these advanced practitioners, particularly the hospitalists. “This is new,” he said. “Replacing physicians, midwives, and practitioners—nobody has any experience with this.” He further stated that Providence will keep the public informed about any service changes in the coming days.

Providence Prepares for Disruption

Providence executives are working to minimize the impact of the strike by hiring temporary replacement staff through a staffing agency they’ve used in previous strikes. The agency has already posted hundreds of temporary nursing positions across Oregon, offering pay rates of around $100 per hour. However, the hospital system faces a unique challenge in trying to replace the advanced practitioners, such as physicians and nurse practitioners, who are integral to daily operations.

Despite these efforts, there is concern about whether replacement workers will be able to provide the same level of care, especially in the absence of key medical personnel. Providence officials have stated that they will make “adjustments” as necessary to ensure patient safety, though the specifics of those adjustments remain unclear.

Adding complexity to the situation, Oregon’s nurse staffing law, which mandates strict nurse-to-patient ratios, will remain in effect during the strike. This means Providence will be required to adhere to these staffing levels even while relying on temporary replacements, potentially increasing the strain on the system.

Bargaining Deadlock and Strike Plans

The strike decision follows several months of tense negotiations, with the ONA claiming that Providence’s refusal to meet their demands for better working conditions and improved patient care standards forced their hand. The union’s bargaining units have been negotiating for over a year in some cases, with contracts expiring in several different cycles. The ongoing dissatisfaction within the ranks has led to the coordination of a system-wide strike, a move the union claims has been building for months.

Providence, however, has denied the ONA’s claims of intransigence, accusing the union of orchestrating a work stoppage from the outset. Providence CEO Jennifer Burrows said in a statement that the union has sent “mixed signals” regarding its willingness to compromise, adding that the company’s leadership would focus on patient care during the strike. “Once again, our leadership teams’ attention will turn to caring for our community during this work stoppage,” Burrows said.

The Broader Impact on Oregon Healthcare

The scale of the strike could have wide-reaching effects on healthcare delivery in Oregon, particularly in the Portland metro area, which hosts several of Providence’s largest and most specialized facilities. With thousands of nurses, hospitalists, and advanced practitioners leaving their posts, there are concerns about how Providence will manage patient care in the face of such widespread disruption.

In response to the looming strike, the union has pledged to continue its advocacy for better working conditions, calling the strike a necessary measure to protect both healthcare workers and patients. They argue that without significant changes, the quality of care provided to Oregonians will continue to deteriorate, exacerbating a growing healthcare crisis that has seen increased patient volumes and an overburdened workforce.

As the strike date approaches, both sides remain entrenched, with little sign of a breakthrough in negotiations. For now, all eyes are on January 10, when the strike is set to begin and the future of Providence’s hospitals in Oregon will hang in the balance.