Physicians, physician associates, nurse midwives and clinic nurses at Portland, Ore.-based Providence St. Vincent Medical Center and six Providence women's clinics in the area have authorized a strike amid ongoing contract negotiations, Oregon Public Broadcasting reported Oct. 23.
Here are five things to know about the walkout:
1. Physicians are represented by the Pacific Northwest Hospital Medicine group, and nurses by the Oregon Nurses Association, encompassing about 150 staff members in total.
2. The walkout would mark the "first doctor's strike in Oregon history," according to the report.
3. Staff at the women's clinics have been in negotiations with Providence since November 2023, while negotiations for hospitalists have been ongoing since January.
4. Key issues driving the strike include recruitment and retention of staff, staffing levels, wages and benefits.
5. In August, over 1,000 Providence hospital workers participated in a weeklong strike at Richland, Wash.-based Kadlec Regional Medical Center and its Kennewick emergency room.