When the Providence strike ends, will nurses have their next shift canceled?

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Providence nurses have officially entered their third day on the picket line in what may be the largest strike of its kind in Oregon history.

Nurses resumed the final day of their strike outside the Saint Vincent, Newberg, Milwaukie, Willamette Falls, Hood River, and Medford hospitals on Thursday, though many have told KOIN 6 News they expect to show up for work on Friday and be turned away.

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Although the strike was set for three days, Providence has established they will not let full-time nurses back until Sunday due to the contracts made with replacement nurses, who were hired for five days.

On Wednesday, the Oregon Nurses Association said they had received a “barrage of mixed messages” from Providence executives regarding the return of their nurses.

“On the other side: ONA has been clear about our intentions and timing to allow nurses and Providence to plan accordingly,” the union said, citing their notice for the strike that included specific times and dates for the event. “ONA nurses that are scheduled for shifts on Friday will be ready to return to work.”

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However, Providence spokesperson Gary Walker said nurses who are needed for a Friday shift will be notified via phone call.

“We have processes in place to ensure a smooth transition for patient care – just as we did for the smooth transition when the strike began Tuesday,” Walker said. “It’s not unusual for a Providence RN to work with agency RNs. We know the RNs will work together in a respectful and professional manner to provide high quality patient care, just as they regularly do.”

On Thursday afternoon, ONA announced the nurses will continue picketing at the six hospitals “in response to Providence’s unlawful lockout of nurses” after the three-day strike ends.

“In their Strike Notice, ONA warned that if Providence locked out, refused to reinstate, or delayed the reinstatement of nurses, picketing would continue,” ONA said in a statement. “Given Providence’s refusal to reinstate the nurses, ONA will picket until nurses are back on their regular schedules.”

The nurses are currently following through on their previous 10-day notice for a three-day strike running from June 18 through June 20. During the strike, nurses are not receiving hospital pay and cannot use paid time off. Instead, they can apply for money collected by their union.

RN Emma Dancer said she and her coworkers are on the picket line to affordable health care, increased paid time off, and market wages – but most importantly, patient-to-nurse ratios.

“If they require a lift, which is a device that goes underneath them and lifts them out of bed physically, and we have to put them on the toilet, that can take 30 minutes to get a patient in and out of bed,” RN Emma Dancer said. “Meanwhile, I have four patients calling call lights and they also have to get up and go to the bathroom, or they need pain medication, or have heart palpitations or chest pain.”

Providence Oregon said it will not be negotiating with the nurses union until after the strike ends Friday morning. In the meantime, hospitals will remain open.

Stay with KOIN 6 News as this story develops.

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