Seeking ‘respect,’ St. Charles Bend medical technologists, therapists go out on strike
(Update: Adding video)
Walkout called over a year after hospital, new union began contract talks
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- About 150 medical technologists and therapists walked off the job and went on strike Thursday morning after more than a year of on-and-off negotiations failed to achieve an initial contract for the newly unionized workers and a late, confidential hospital "supposal' was rejected.
St. Charles said it was “saddened” by the strike and had floated “another confidential supposal through a federal mediator” to the Oregon Federation of Nursing and Health Professionals Wednesday night.
Earlier this week, the union also rejected the hospital’s offer to return immediately to negotiations -- if the union dropped its strike plans, after a federal judge denied the hospital’s request for an injunction and urged both sides to return to the bargaining table.
She also confirmed to NewsChannel 21 it was the first workers’ strike against the hospital system in over 40 years, since nurses represented by the Oregon Nurses Association walked out back in 1980.
At 8 a.m. Thursday, dozens of the striking workers walked directly from the hospital to picket lines along Neff Road and Medical Center Drive, where occasional horn honks from passing drivers could be heard amid periodic chants by picketers, such as “Who’s got the power? We’ve got the power!”
St. Charles spokeswoman Lisa Goodman said of the term “supposal,” “During bargaining, that language matters. There is a huge difference between a proposal and a supposal.”
OFNHP organizer Samuel Potter, speaking on a picket-line livestream with NewsChannel 21’s Jordan Williams, disputed the hospital system’s claims of losing money amid a sharp drop in elective surgeries due to COVID-19, St. Charles in recent years made “$650 million in pure profit. They’re not reinvesting it in their workers.”
Potter said one 30-year veteran had found a 2008 pay stub that showed they are now making “less than $3 an hour more” than they did 13 years ago. “These people have fallen far behind,” he said.
The hospital had said it wanted an “open shop,” where people don’t have to join the union. Potter called that “slightly deceptive,” as federal law bars anyone from being forced into union membership.
“We’re talking that workers who don’t want to be members still have to contribute a certain, very small amount, audited by a third-party, called a ‘fair share’ payment,” Potter said. “The hospital, when they say ‘open shop’ – they want them to benefit from what workers fought for, without contributing. It’s not union fees, strictly for representation and legal fees.”
Potter said the union offered a dozen mediation dates, most in February, and St. Charles “accepted the very last date,” March 10. “Quite frankly, that’s far too late for these workers,” he said. “They’re angry.” But he also said, “I think we’ll have a fair contract before that.” He said it’s “quite common for these contracts to be settled in the first 48 hours, days” of a strike and “rare” to go on a long time.
Potter said a "supposal" is a somewhat common term in such talks that "means a non-binding, exploratory suggestion to understand what the other side of negotiations is prioritizing."
The union official said they will honor the confidentiality of talks with the federal mediator and won't detail the hospital's supposal. But he said the union bargainers Wednesday night wrote up a comprehensive, nearly 20-page compensation proposal that has not yet brought a response.
"We continue to offer unconditionally to meet, at any time under any circumstances, to talk about our differences and put in the work to resolve this contract," he said.
One of the picketers, respiratory therapist Rachel Maida, said she’s worked for St. Charles for more than eight years, and it’s the first time she’s ever been part of a strike. “We were heroes two months ago,” she said. “I want to work for somebody who supports their people.”
“We don’t want to be out here. We want to be in there, helping our patients. I know we’re doing the right thing, but it hurts my heart and my stomach.”
Jon Kettley, a certified medical technologist, said he moved to Bend two years ago and previously worked for a hospital in Illinois, where the workers “got a lot more respect from the leadership.”
“I’m here to secure a better future for my daughter,” he said. “None of us feels St. Charles has heard us, given any respect.” But he also said he was confident the dispute will be resolved fairly soon. “
“I believe they’ll be forced to come back” to the bargaining table, Kettley said. Despite the replacement workers, “they can’t function without us,” he added.
Here's the full statement from the Oregon Federation of Nursing and Health Professionals:
At 8 a.m., around 150 health care providers walked off the job at St. Charles Medical Center and went on strike. After bargaining for their first contract for more than a year, the medical techs, technologists, and therapists say that they have experienced stalling, disrespect, and condescension from management. While the union has been trying to negotiate with management, the hospital has been unwilling to settle the contract in advance of the strike date.
“The hospital is forcing a strike that does not need to happen,” says DeeDee Schumacher, a forty-year employee at St. Charles. “Instead, we would love to settle this contract and remain caring for the patients we love. But since St. Charles has been unwilling to show us the basic respect we deserve, we have no other choice. By going on strike we remind the hospital that we matter.”
Management has been unwilling to agree to basic wage proposals, as well as to guarantee a fair and equitable workplace. Instead, they filed a lawsuit in an attempt to stop the strike from taking place, which a federal judge threw out Tuesday for its lack of merit.
Right now 94% of the techs have agreed to walk out on strike and it appears as though the hospital has been unable to replace them with skilled workers.
Additionally, other unions, including the Oregon Nurses Association and the Teamsters will be out supporting the workers, as well as community groups, local politicians, and faith leaders.
Management is only willing to negotiate if the union workers cancel their planned strike, which is an infringement on their labor rights.
Right now these health care professionals are headed to the picket line for an “open-ended” strike, meaning it is unclear how long the strike will last. This depends on management’s willingness to settle the contract and bring these workers back to the hospital.
Here is St. Charles' latest news release, issued after the walkout began Thursday:
St. Charles saddened by OFNHP members choice to strike
Although St. Charles Health System leaders provided another confidential supposal through a federal mediator to the Oregon Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals last night in an effort to avoid a work stoppage, the union rejected the offer. At 8 a.m. this morning, some technical workers at the Bend hospital chose to walk out rather than come back to the important work of negotiating a first-time contract.
“This is a sad day,” said Aaron Adams, president of St. Charles Bend. “We want to come to an agreement with our caregivers and have attempted to do so repeatedly. But we also have an important job to do and responsibility to our community. Our focus is taking care of our patients.”
The St. Charles Bend hospital is open and providing care as usual. Trained replacement workers are on site and the community should feel confident in the care they will receive.
“It is important to us that you know we are here for you,” Adams said. “No matter what happens in the coming days, St. Charles has been here for our Central Oregon patients for more than 100 years and that won’t change.”
