Oregon Nurses Association Plans Strike Votes For Two More Hospitals

PORTLAND, OR —Nearly 500 nurses at Providence Milwaukie Hospital and Providence Willamette Falls Medical Center will start voting on whether or not join their colleagues at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center in authorizing a strike against Providence Health & Services, Patch has learned.

Sources at the Oregon Nurses Association, the union representing the nurses at all three facilities, told Patch that the strike votes at Milwaukie and Willamette Falls will be announced on Monday.

The sources, who provided a flier was handed out to all ONA nurses at the three facilities about a week ago, agreed to share the information even though they are not authorized to publicly speak for the union.

The strike votes will close on June 2. If the nearly-unanimous vote at St. Vincent is any indication, the other two will follow suit. At that point, the union will give Providence 10-day notice of their intention to strike, sources said.

The disputes have centered on several issues including pay and safety.

The sources cautioned that even though the strike votes are getting underway, the bargaining teams at both facilities each have two more sessions coming up with Providence coming up in coming weeks.