2021 St. Charles Bend strike
2021 St. Charles Bend strike | |||
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Date | March 4–15, 2021 (1 week and 4 days) | ||
Location | cost of living adjustments and higher wages | ||
Methods | |||
Resulted in | Union and hospital agree to a labor contract | ||
Parties | |||
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The 2021 St. Charles Bend strike was a
Background
In
In September 2019,
On February 22, the union (which at this time represented 156 technical workers at the hospital)
On March 3, the day before the strike was due to begin, the hospital extended an offer to the union wherein they would return to bargaining if the union cancelled the strike. This offer was countered by the union, who stated they would be willing to bargain if the hospital agreed to a strike delay rather than a cancellation. Potter, discussing the prospects of returning to the bargaining table after cancelling the strike, said, "We would be coming back to the table having given up every single piece of leverage." Ultimately, no agreement was made.[14] Prior to the beginning of the strike, the union and hospital had arranged for federal mediation talks on March 10.[10]
Course of the strike
The strike began on March 4,
On the morning of March 10, union and hospital representatives met with a federal mediator to resume contract negotiations.[19] The meeting, held virtually over Zoom, was the first meeting held between the two groups in over three months.[2] According to union representatives, the meeting lasted until 9 p.m., at which time hospital representatives left. Hospital representatives asked for workers to return to work while negotiations were underway, a request which was rejected by the union.[20] Representatives met with the mediator again the following day.[21] On March 13, in a joint press release, the hospital and union stated that they had accepted the mediator's offer, resulting in an end to strike action and no media contact from either side until the morning of March 16. As the agreement was made on a Saturday, workers returned to work the following Monday, March 15.[22] As part of the agreement, both sides would continue to meet over the next several days and secure a contract by March 31.[22][23] As reported by OPB, the strike officially ended on March 15, 11 days after it began.[9]
Aftermath
On March 28, it was reported that the union and hospital had come to a tentative agreement regarding a new labor contract,[24] with union members set to begin voting on the contract on March 31.[25] The contract, which would last for three years, was ratified later that day.[26] According to the union, the contract would raise wages approximately 25 percent,[27] while hospital officials claimed that the pay would only increase 11 percent.[26][28] Additional provisions included wage formulas that would be locked for three years and the ability to request a wage audit.[26]
See also
- COVID-19 pandemic in Oregon
- Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare workers
- Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on hospitals
- Strikes during the COVID-19 pandemic
References
- ^ a b Gooch, Kelly (February 22, 2021). "Oregon hospital workers file strike notice". Becker's Hospital Review. Archived from the original on February 24, 2021. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e Cureton, Emily (March 10, 2021). "Bend hospital strike brings years of labor disputes to a head". Oregon Public Broadcasting. Archived from the original on March 12, 2021. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
- ^ a b c Cureton, Emily (February 22, 2021). "Bend hospital workers agree to strike". Oregon Public Broadcasting. Archived from the original on March 10, 2021. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f Cureton, Emily (February 3, 2021). "Bend hospital workers protest wages in St. Charles contract dispute". Oregon Public Broadcasting. Archived from the original on March 3, 2021. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
- ^ a b Cureton, Emily (March 2, 2021). "Bend hospital worker strike looms after federal court ruling". Oregon Public Broadcasting. Archived from the original on March 7, 2021. Retrieved March 14, 2021.
- ^ a b c Cureton, Emily (March 4, 2021). "Bend hospital workers begin strike". KLCC. Archived from the original on March 10, 2021. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
- ^ McIntosh, Don (September 9, 2019). "Medical techs unionize at St. Charles Hospital in Bend". Northwest Labor Press. Archived from the original on September 22, 2020. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e Samayoa, Monica (March 6, 2021). "Bend hospital workers enter day 3 of strike". Oregon Public Broadcasting. Archived from the original on March 10, 2021. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
- ^ a b Cureton, Emily (March 15, 2021). "Bend hospital worker strike ends". Oregon Public Broadcasting. Archived from the original on March 16, 2021. Retrieved March 16, 2021.
- ^ a b c Roig, Suzanne (March 1, 2021). "St. Charles Bend prepares for strike of its technicians". The Bulletin. EO Media Group. Archived from the original on March 2, 2021. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
- ^ Roig, Suzanne (March 2, 2021). "St. Charles technicians walkout upheld". The Bulletin. EO Media Group. Archived from the original on March 2, 2021. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
- ^ a b Gooch, Kelly (March 1, 2021). "Strike notice filed by union unlawful, Oregon health system says". Becker's Hospital Review. Archived from the original on March 1, 2021. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
- ^ "Ore. Judge Rejects Hospital's Bid To Block Technicians' Strike". Law360. LexisNexis. March 3, 2021. Archived from the original on March 9, 2021. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
- ^ Roig, Suzanne (March 3, 2021). "St. Charles offers bargaining session, but requests union cancel strike". The Bulletin. EO Media Group. Archived from the original on March 4, 2021. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
- ^ Roig, Suzanne; Kohn, Michael (March 4, 2021). "Hospital workers walk off the job at St. Charles Bend". The Bulletin. EO Media Group. Archived from the original on March 9, 2021. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
- ^ a b c d "St. Charles Bend nurses turn out in support of striking medical tech workers". KTVZ. March 8, 2021. Archived from the original on March 10, 2021. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
- ^ Roig, Suzanne (March 5, 2021). "Strike continues for second day at St. Charles Bend". The Bulletin. EO Media Group. Archived from the original on March 10, 2021. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
- ^ a b Kohn, Michael (March 8, 2021). "St. Charles nurses express support for striking med techs". The Bulletin. EO Media Group. Archived from the original on March 10, 2021. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
- ^ Glova, Meghan (March 10, 2021). "Negotiations resume as St. Charles medical techs in Bend strike for 7th day". Central Oregon Daily News. Archived from the original on March 11, 2021. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
- ^ "Talks bring 'progress,' but no end to week-old St. Charles Bend medical techs strike". KTVZ. March 11, 2021. Archived from the original on March 11, 2021. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
- ^ Roig, Suzanne (March 11, 2021). "St. Charles and union continue talks with the federal mediator". The Bulletin. EO Media Group. Archived from the original on March 15, 2021. Retrieved March 15, 2021.
- ^ a b Lerten, Barney (March 13, 2021). "Striking St. Charles Bend medical techs agree to end walkout as talks continue". KTVZ. Archived from the original on March 13, 2021. Retrieved March 14, 2021.
- ^ Spurr, Kyle (March 13, 2021). "St. Charles Bend, union reach agreement ending strike". The Bulletin. EO Media Group. Archived from the original on March 14, 2021. Retrieved March 14, 2021.
- ^ "St. Charles, medical techs' union reach agreement on first contract after walkout". KTVZ. March 28, 2021. Archived from the original on March 28, 2021. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
- ^ Roig, Suzanne (March 29, 2021). "St. Charles and union come to terms". The Bulletin. EO Media Group. Archived from the original on March 31, 2021. Retrieved March 31, 2021.
- ^ a b c Cureton, Emily (April 1, 2021). "St. Charles agrees to union contract in Bend, but tensions remain". Oregon Public Broadcasting. Archived from the original on April 1, 2021. Retrieved May 14, 2021.
- ^ Keenan, Carly (April 1, 2021). "'We gained ... a voice': St. Charles Bend med techs OK first union contract". KTVZ. Archived from the original on April 3, 2021. Retrieved April 3, 2021.
- ^ Bautista, Gustavo (April 1, 2021). "St. Charles medical techs ratify first-time, 3-year contract". Central Oregon Daily News. Archived from the original on May 14, 2021. Retrieved May 14, 2021.
Further reading
- Hirsch, Jack (February 22, 2021). "St. Charles Bend medical techs threaten strike; hospital 'disappointed'". KTVZ. Archived from the original on February 26, 2021. Retrieved September 26, 2021.
- Mulvey, Lizzie (March 4, 2021). "Medical technicians' strike in Oregon could be the first of many". Aljazeera.com. Al Jazeera Media Network. Archivedfrom the original on March 13, 2021. Retrieved March 15, 2021.