Nurses at Mount Hood, UPHS Marquette Reach Tentative Contract Agreements

Nurses at Legacy Mount Hood Medical Center in Oregon reached a tentative contract agreement with Legacy Health after authorizing a strike earlier in August due to concerns over wages, working conditions, and insufficient progress in negotiations. The agreement, which now awaits ratification by the 440 registered nurses, includes competitive wages, just cause protections against unfair discipline, a grievance process with binding arbitration, paid time off for nurses recovering from workplace assaults, and dedicated security staffing. Nurses expressed optimism that the contract would help recruit and retain staff and ensure quality patient care. Legacy Health emphasized its commitment to supporting nurses and providing high-quality care for the community. Meanwhile, in Marquette, Michigan, the RN Staff Council of U.P. Health System Marquette also reached a tentative agreement after lengthy negotiations, securing wage increases and maintaining their current health insurance, with further discussions ongoing for ancillary staff to obtain comparable health benefits. Both cases reflect ongoing efforts by nurses nationwide to improve labor conditions through union negotiations and potential strike actions.