St. Charles Bend Nurses Overwhelmingly Vote to Authorize Strike

Nearly 1,000 nurses represented by the Oregon Nurses Association at St. Charles Bend have voted overwhelmingly and in record-breaking numbers to authorize a strike at the hospital. Nurses have been engaged in contract negotiations since December and have met in person with management 14 times. Nurses have been focused on improving working conditions, ensuring nurses have access to affordable health care, and providing competitive wages. St. Charles has been recruiting for more than 300 nursing positions and is closing beds due to staff shortages. Nurses also reported missing more than 42,000 legally required rest and meal breaks during 2022 due to unsafe staffing levels.