Oregon Nurses Association held a protest outside of the downtown PeaceHealth hospital on Wednesday evening, voicing their want for safe staffing, better retention of nurses and the recruitment of more nurses to fill the hospitals needs. 

ONA is the PeaceHealth nurses labor union that sets contracts with the hospital to get better wages, rights, and benefits. 

According to Allison Hyder, an after hours admission nurse in hospice, PeaceHealth has been negotiating with ONA since February of this year. The two sides failed to reach a deal by a April deadline.

“There’s 300 open nurse positions at the hospital. There’s open positions everywhere, and they want to cut labor, and they want to cut supplies,” said Hyder.  
Hyder added that PeaceHealth has not delivered on promises made during the pandemic. She sighted retention bonuses and hazard pay that hasn’t been distributed by PeaceHealth. 

“It’s taking a toll on our mental health and our emotional well-being, and they’re making us do unrealistic staffing assignments. They’re telling hospice nurses to work harder, work faster,” said Hyder.

Eugene Mayor Lucy Vinis appeared at the protest, voicing her support for the nurses and their labor union.

Vinis said it is important for the PeaceHealth hospital in Eugene to be properly staffed. Vinis said she wanted to show her support for the nurses.

“They live in this city. I want to make sure they are treated well as essential workers. A community without a well-staffed hospital is a community in deep trouble,” said Vinis.

ONA members said they hope to strike a new deal with PeaceHealth to better staff the hospital and prevent unsafe staffing and working conditions.