Feb. 5, 2025
If ratified, this would be the first contract for the more than 70 hospitalists who formed their union in August 2023.
(PORTLAND, Ore.) - After more than a year of bargaining and 27 days on the strike line, hospitalists from Providence St. Vincent, represented by the Pacific Northwest Hospital Medicine Association, reached a tentative agreement with Providence Oregon. This is a historic agreement and the first for the more than 70 hospitalists at St. Vincent who have been on strike with registered nurses (RNs) from eight Providence hospitals and the doctors, RNs, advanced practice providers, and midwives from the Providence Women's Clinic since January 10.
It comes on the heels of a tentative agreement with eight RN bargaining units and the ratification of contracts from two bargaining units from the Providence Women's Clinic. Hospitalists won their right to unionize in August 2023 and have been engaged in hard negotiations with Providence ever since.
Key provisions of the agreement include:
- A sweeping commitment to reform staffing models across all units, improving patient care and safety standards.
- The strongest subcontracting language in the region with conditional commitment not to subcontract out.
- Across-the-board raises that makes Providence more competitive with other health systems, with movement toward equity, guaranteed cost-of-living increases, and ratification bonuses across specialties.
- Gains in sick time to establish equity with other Providence hospitalists.
- Most importantly, however, they have gained a unified voice to continue to advocate for their patients, their community, and themselves into the future.
The ratification vote will open on Thursday, February 6 at 4 p.m. and close Friday, February 7 at 4 p.m.
Note: We will not provide further comment until after the vote closes.