SPRINGFIELD – After 16 months of negotiations, the PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Home Care Services nurses voted May 13 to ratify a four-year contract agreement with PeaceHealth.
Negotiations with PeaceHealth executives began February 2023 and centered around sufficient and equal pay.
This new contract increases wages up to 16% over four years and raises pay for nurses with advanced degrees and skills. It also includes a one-time bonus for nurses still working with PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Home Care Services in Jan. 2025.
While home care nurses are content with this outcome, Oregon Nurses Association (ONA) said they “remain concerned that inequitable wages will continue negatively impacting their community by accelerating record turnover and limiting recruitment opportunities.”
According to ONA, nurses at other local PeaceHealth hospitals and home care services will receive “significantly higher wages” than the Sacred Heart Home Care nurses. ONA said, “this pay gap will continue to make it difficult for PeaceHealth to address vacancies and attract or retain experienced providers.”
PeaceHealth officials did not comment on the wage differences, but they did share that they’re happy the nurses voted to ratify the contract and said they’re “very grateful for the hard work of both bargaining teams throughout this process.”
“We know there’s more work to be done to expand access to health care and to keep holding PeaceHealth accountable to our community,” said Jo Turner, ONA bargaining unit chair and PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Home Care Services nurse. “I believe we can build on the work of our community coalitions and continue raising standards to make sure everyone in our community has access to high-quality, affordable health care.”
