Nurses, Providence Hood River still working towards new contract

HOOD RIVER — The Oregon Nurses Association (ONA) held an “informational picket” April 10 outside Providence Hood River Memorial Hospital in an effort to improve healthcare practices, increase wages and reduce nurse-to-patient ratios. According to the ONA, an informational picket is not a strike or work stoppage. It is a demonstration of solidarity to Providence’s administrators and a promise to the community that nurses, elected leaders and allies are united to raise healthcare standards.

ONA representatives at the gathering included ONA President Tamie Cline, Providence Hood River Bargaining Chair Brittany Foss and Oregon State Rep. and Registered Nurse Travis Nelson. Around two dozen community residents, nurses and other advocates joined their cause.

Foss told Columbia Gorge News, “We’re having an informational picket today to bring awareness to the fact that we’re having to fight for safe staffing and things to help take care of our patients, but really, why should we have to fight for that?”

Cline said negotiations began in December, but the two sides have been struggling to find middle ground on a new contract.

“Providence administration has decided that profits over patients is the way to go,” Cline said. “I do know that they started negotiating in early December, and that they [the nurses] have pretty much been stonewalled.”

As the bargaining chair, Foss said that they continue to be surprised at the responses from Providence.

“I would say that we all come into this expecting that there’s going to be some level of compromise, but we also expect our employer to be realistic about the things that we’re asking for,” Foss said.

According to the ONA, nurses at Hood River are looking for safe patient assignments, adequate access to safe technologies and competitive wages and health benefits. Foss added that some nurses in medical and surgical units may be tasked with taking care of five patients at a time. In August, Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek signed House Bill 2697, which establishes a limit of five patients per one nurse. The bill will also reduce that number to four patients in June 2026. Certified nursing assistants can provide care for up to seven patients during day shifts and 11 patients during night shifts.

The two sides met again on April 10, and Foss said the discussions centered around safety in the work place.

“Unfortunately, in a lot of hospitals, not just here and not just Portland, but everywhere across the country are seeing really huge numbers of violence against healthcare staff,” Foss said. “There have been a lot of shootings and so many other things that have been happening. And a lot of the things that we’re asking for, like increased safety and increased security at our hospitals, unfortunately, Providence doesn’t seem to think that those are a priority for taking care of nurses.”

Providence Hood River issued a statement saying that in the two sides have met seven times and have reached tentative agreements on many topics.

“ONA has the right to engage in a lawful informational picket and we anticipate and hope the informational picket planned on April 10 will not cause disruption to our joint efforts to reach a new contract. We have bargained collaboratively towards a new contract, and, as we have done over the years, we believe that through continued bargaining, issues will be resolved and together we will reach a new contract.”

ONA and Providence Hood River will meet again on April 29.