St. Charles Bend union holds informational picketing, still seeking first contract
Talks began a year ago with new union for 125 technologists at Bend hospital
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Dozens of St. Charles Bend technologists began two days of informational picketing in front of the hospital Sunday as they seek renewed talks on an initial contract, more than a year after joining a statewide union.
The picketing comes a year after the hospital began contract negotiations with the Oregon Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals, which represents about 125 technologists at the Bend hospital in areas ranging from anesthesia and surgery to X-ray and respiratory therapy. The workers voted nearly 3-to-1 to unionize in September of 2019.
OFNHP organizer Samuel Potter said, "We've been in the bargaining process since January of last year, and since this is a first contract, it means that we don't really have anything to build off of.
"It's a newly organized union," he said. "It's the first time we are negotiating as this group of workers, with this hospital, so we've really been building up from the ground. It's been challenging, to be completely honest."
The two sides have not met for nearly two months, due in part to COVID-19 staffing demands.
The union said in a statement that "management is stalling on important issues like adequate compensation" and claimed hospital officials have rejected proposals for new bargaining dates.
“We want our Bend neighbors and others throughout the region we serve to know that we will always put patients’ needs as our top priority,” said DeeDee Schumacher, a 40-year ultrasound technologist. “But the remaining contract issues could be resolved quickly, if the hospital negotiators would recommit themselves to this important process.”
In its own statement issued Friday, St. Charles said it "is awaiting a response from OFNHP on its last offer."
St. Charles Bend President Aaron Adams said, “We respect our caregivers and their right to hold this informational picket."
"While we have made much progress on the contract over the past year, we have not yet reached a final agreement," Adams said. "We look forward to negotiating again in the near future.”
Russ Amundson, a cardiovascular technologist at St. Charles, said the represented workers "are an incredible group of people" who like just about everyone have been challenged by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
"We fight COVID, we fight cancer, we fight heart attacks," Amundson said. "We're there for you in the middle of the night. We're fighters, and apparently the hospital wants to fight for a fair contract, too. We've got it in us, and we're willing to do what it takes. This is something that we deserve."
I trust St. Charles’ senior management will step up and do the right thing by their unionized employees.
If they had from the onset there would have been no call or need to unionize.
If their services are in such demand; why did they need to unionize?
If there was a connection between demand and wages, McDonald’s workers would be doing much better than they are.
Actually you are correct and they are in some areas of the country.
Kind of hypocritical, that lady’s sign reads patients b 4 profit, but isn’t that what they are doing by making “profitable” demands to st Charles? If they strike is that still patients before profit?
Patients b 4 profit? They are asking for more money/higher pay. Nothing about the patients. And, they are the ones who need to respond to St. Charles, not the other way around.
It’s hardly hypocritical. These are frontline workers negotiating a contract that includes safe staffing needs such as overnight call and adequate staffing. That doesn’t even include the challenge of recruiting or keeping talented, hard-working, caring people if the payscale lags far behind the cost of living for the community.
Hey look everybody, this is what actually knowing facts and having reason looks like.
Unions are another favorite of the LEFT to hide the racism that is built into their agenda! Similar to the Planned Parenthood abortion clinics they use to sterilize people of color. It’s all about controlling the populations!
They aren’t on strike. They are doing informational picketing. They voted to unionize in September 2019. They have been in negotiations since January 2020. You would think one could get a contract written in less than a year!
They aren’t on strike. They are doing informational picketing. They voted to unionize in September 2019. They have been in negotiations since January 2020. You would think one could get a contract written in less than a year! I wish St Charles’ senior management would step up and do the right thing by their unionized employees!
I worked there without being in a union for 3 decades and always was give raises on my merits. Unions a only serve underachievers.
You honestly aren’t embarrassed saying such foolish nonsense?
Why would anybody be embarrassed about saying accurate things? Especially when it appears to be personal experience? My personal experience with multiple unions all over the western half of the US over the years agrees with that person’s comment.
I completely agree, also informative picketing…?? Why does the public need to know about their labor dispute?
No because it’s true,
I’ve been in unions and saw what I said in my comment. Unions only promote laziness.