CMH releases statement on ONA informational picket to be held June 27
Contact: Sarah Bello
CMH has been notified that the Oregon Nurses Association (ONA), the union representing more than 130 nurses at the hospital and medical group, will conduct informational picketing outside CMH June 27. Picketing is a protest activity permitted under the law, but it is not a walk-out or a strike and does not impact patient care.
CMH administration began meeting regularly with union members in March in hopes of ratifying a new contract before the previous contract expired May 31, 2023. Sessions have continued past the contract’s expiration.
“Our nurses are a critical part of the caregiving team at CMH,” says Nicole Williams, COO. “We’ve made progress on many of the contract issues and continue to listen to nurses’ concerns. We’re hopeful we can come to an agreement soon to continue providing excellent care to our patients without interruption.”
CMH and ONA have shared goals of recruitment and retention of current nurses throughout the negotiations process. Bargaining sessions have been productive, with agreements reached on several articles, including:
- Mutual respect
- Layoffs/recall
- Work schedule
- Dock time
- Job postings
- Shared governance
- Charge and preceptor differentials
- Requests off
Wage proposals continue to be exchanged, with movement on both sides. ONA’s current proposal increases wages by 32% over the course of three years in addition to annual step increases.
“CMH remains committed to offering competitive wages and excellent benefits for our caregivers,” Williams says. “We demonstrated this commitment in 2022 by agreeing to a 10% wage increase for nurses for a one-year extension to the existing bargaining agreement. If we include annual step increases, CMH’s proposal provides for an additional 30% increase over a 4-year period. A recent review of current nurse salaries shows our nurses being paid at one of the highest rates when compared to other hospitals in the state, including OHSU and hospitals of similar size and volume.”
The next bargaining session will be held July 10.