Public Services International (PSI) stands firmly in solidarity with the Oregon Nurses Association and the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) in their fight for fair wages and working conditions for Providence workers.

Nearly 5,000 Oregon nurses, other healthcare workers and doctors in the Providence Health & Services system are ready to begin a historic strike after Providence delayed the bargaining process by arriving at negotiations late and unprepared.

The Oregon Nurses Association said the workers are walking out because of continuing inaction at the bargaining table on solutions for chronic understaffing, increased caseloads, and uncompetitive wages and benefits. Providence is the state’s largest and wealthiest healthcare company and is illegally refusing to bargain fairly with its workers.

"Underfunding, understaffing and overwork have provoked our sisters and brothers in Oregon to take strike action. These are chronic issues throughout the Americas. This is exactly why PSI’s affiliates that represent health and care workers throughout the Americas have joined forces to build a regional health workers’ federation to increase coordination and solidarity across the region. We will provide all support necessary to Oregon’s health workers who are on the front line of the fight to protect patient care and decent working conditions", stated Euan Gibb, PSI Regional Secretary for Inter-America

It will be Oregon’s largest strike ever of nurses and other healthcare workers and the state’s first strike by doctors. The walkout will affect 14 hospitals and clinics throughout the state. This is one of the very few strikes involving doctors ever in the USA.

In two patient surveys completed this fall, more than 90 percent of patients who responded reported having a negative experience at a Providence facility in the last three years, and 92 percent said they would support striking nurses and other healthcare providers.

PSI and our member unions will continue to monitor this critical situation closely and stand in solidarity with the workers in their struggle for justice.