Oregon nurses union files unfair labor practices charge against PeaceHealth

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The Oregon Nurses Association filed an unfair labor practice charge against PeaceHealth on Feb. 13 after the healthcare organization’s managers allegedly failed to meet and bargain with union nurses over workplace concerns, staffing issues and better pay.

PeaceHealth canceled a Jan. 23 meeting with nurses and has refused to reschedule after 90 nurses at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Home Care Services announced their intentions to hold a 14-day strike from Feb. 10 to Feb. 24, the union said.

“Local nurses have repeatedly offered to meet with PeaceHealth executives to reach a fair contract agreement to prevent or end a strike, but PeaceHealth has declined,” ONA stated in a press release.

Jo Turner, the ONA chair at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Home Care Services, said that the striking nurses love their patients and their jobs, but they’d also love a new contract.

“It’s disappointing that PeaceHealth executives would rather sit back and scroll Instagram than talk to the frontline nurses they count on,” Turner said. “Our strike line is only 50 yards from their front door. We’re not hard to find. We’ll meet them anywhere, anytime.”

ONA said that, prior to the standstill, its nurses held 40 contract negotiation meetings with PeaceHealth between February 2023 and January 2024.

“The National Labor Relations Act requires companies like PeaceHealth to bargain in good faith,” ONA said. “Section 8(a)(5) of the Act makes it an unfair labor practice for an employer ‘to refuse to bargain collectively with the representatives of its employees’ specifying that companies must meet with union representatives at reasonable times and reasonable intervals.”

KOIN 6 News contacted PeaceHealth about the claims made in the ONA press release. However, the organization has not immediately provided a response.