News

Aug. 10, 2023

(PORTLAND, Ore.) – On Tuesday, August 1, ballots were counted in a union election for more than 70 physicians at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center in Portland, Oregon. Eighty-seven percent of doctors voted in favor of unionization, despite vocal opposition from Providence executives in the lead up to the vote. Hospitalists at St. Vincent will now gain collective bargaining rights—meaning the hospital administration will be obligated to meet and negotiate in good faith with doctors over their wages, benefits, and working conditions.

July 5, 2023

(PORTLAND, Ore.) – A group of physicians at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center in Portland, OR will vote on whether to form a union starting July 10th.

After an overwhelming majority of physicians at the hospital signed union authorization cards, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) agreed to conduct an election. Ballots will be sent to all physicians eligible to vote on July 10 and must be returned to the NLRB before the vote count on August 1. If a majority of votes are cast in favor of unionization, the group of about 74 Internal Medicine, Med-Peds, and OB hospitalists will gain collective bargaining rights, and be represented by the Pacific Northwest Hospital Medicine Association (PNWHMA).

Sacred Heart hospitalists are groundbreakers in the fight for health care equality and social justice. In 2014, we put patients before profit by forming the first union for hospital doctors in the country. We are currently in mediation trying to secure a fair contract for all our members. So far, PeaceHealth has not demonstrated they are serious about addressing our concerns. We believe we have a duty as health care professionals to counter the corporate health care model and to improve health care for our patients and raise safety standards for all hospital workers.