Nurses in Providence go on strike

Three thousand Providence nurses walked off the job on Tuesday after months of failed collective bargaining negotiations with the healthcare giant.

The strike affects six hospitals, including the network’s largest in Oregon, Providence St. Vincent Medical Center. Providence says the hospitals will remain open with replacement staff, although if previous strikes are to be believed, at least some patients will likely be diverted to other facilities.

The dispute over pay raises and working conditions between Providence and the Oregon Nurses Association has turned ugly. The hospital walked away from the bargaining table after the union announced a strike earlier this month, prompting ONA to file a formal complaint with federal authorities.

Providence has recruited strikebreakers from a national staffing firm that has advertised jobs in Oregon at $100 an hour for five days of work. (The OHA requires nurses to return to work after three days, with the intention of demanding back pay if Providence locks them out.)

The two sides’ demands are far apart. A “fact-check” document distributed by the ONA before the strike says Providence’s final salary offer is still more than 6% below what nurses at Oregon Health & Science University earn. Providence counters that its nurses pay less for health care costs.