St. Charles Bend nurses ratify 3-year contract

Registered nurses at St. Charles Bend, represented by the Oregon Nurses Association, have voted overwhelmingly to approve a new three-year contract with the hospital that officials say aims to improve patient care and help retain and attract qualified nurses to the community.

After more than six months of negotiations, nurses were able to reach a tentative agreement with the hospital earlier this month. On Monday, 85 percent of ONA members voted to approve it, the organization said Tuesday.

“Nurses came together to support a contract that allows us to continue providing high-quality care to our patients and will help attract more experienced nurses to our community,” said ONA bargaining unit chair John Nangle, RN, ED. “We will continue to advocate for our community to make sure everyone has access to the care they deserve.”

A hospital official also offered an upbeat assessment of the outcome.

“Both sides were willing to give and take to reach this agreement,” said Karen Reed, chief nursing officer for St. Charles Bend and Redmond. “I am proud of both of the negotiating teams and really appreciate the thoughtfulness and respect that went into the process. It is obvious to me that everyone at the table has the best interest of our patients at heart.”

ONA issued a news release citing highlights of the contract, which include:

Commitment to create staffing plans that prioritize patient care and facilitate nurses taking legally-mandated rest periods
Short term disability support to help nurses who are sick or injured
A new interdisciplinary committee focused on nurse engagement, the patient experience and quality outcomes
Reasonable wage increases to help attract qualified nurses to the Bend community

The contract term is retroactive and effective from July 1 of this year to July 1, 2018. The ONA said in its statement that the agreement “includes reasonable wage increases totaling 8.25 percent over the life of the contract, to help retain and attract the experienced nurses necessary to meet rising health care demands in one of the nation’s fastest-growing metropolitan areas.”

The Oregon Nurses Association represents more than 700 nurses at St. Charles Bend and more than 12,000 nurses statewide.