On August 12 at 5:30 p.m., Technical healthcare professionals at Legacy Meridian Park Hospital will rally for justice and fairness. The rally is being organized by the Oregon Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals (OFNHP, AFT Local 5017, AFL-CIO) as part of a years-long campaign to secure living wages, safe staffing, and strong union rights at Meridian Park.
The technical employees—who include Respiratory Therapists, Surgical Techs, Imaging Techs, and other healthcare professionals—unionized in 2023 amid concerns over Legacy's financial instability and its attempted merger with OHSU. They are now negotiating their second union contract and are still fighting for basic improvements, including competitive wages, parity with their colleagues on shift differentials, and standard union recognition provisions. Legacy’s unwillingness to fairly compensate long-term employees raises concerns around turnover, longevity, and the future stability of care.
"We are rallying to demand that Legacy executives return to the table to finalize a fair, common-sense contract that invests in the future of care for our community," said Sean Weiss, a longtime X-Ray Technologist and member of the unit's union bargaining team. With a nationwide staffing crisis and declining healthcare access in the same suburban and rural communities Meridian Park serves, workers are concerned about what Legacy's unwillingness to collaborate on critical issues means for the future of patient care.
The rally is an opportunity for the broader community to stand alongside healthcare workers and call on Legacy to return to the bargaining table ready to solve problems and invest in the future of care. Union members, healthcare workers, patients, and community supporters are encouraged to attend.