Working people across the United States regularly step up to help out our friends, neighbors and communities during these trying times. In our Service & Solidarity Spotlight series, we’ll showcase one of these stories every day. Here’s today’s story.
Nurse case managers at St. Charles’ hospitals in Bend, Madras, Prineville and Redmond overwhelmingly voted to join the Oregon Nurses Association (ONA)—an affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT)—last week.
The 19 registered nurse (RN) case managers are joining ONA’s bargaining unit at St. Charles Bend, which already represents more than 1,100 front-line nurses at the private, nonprofit health care company's flagship hospital. These workers serve a critical role in their hospitals and in central Oregon’s broader community health. RN case managers partner with patients, family members and caregivers to help them navigate the health care system, coordinate different medical services, take lead in patient education about health management, and provide assistance with follow-up care after discharge. By joining ONA, these new members are aiming to raise health care standards and secure better wages, benefits and working conditions.
“We are so happy to have the nurses in case management join the Bend ONA! They are hard-working and dedicated nurses who deserve fair treatment, better wages, benefits, and working conditions,” said Rosa Lasso, chair of ONA’s St. Charles Bend bargaining unit. “We support them completely, and with them, the Bend ONA becomes even better.”