Nearly 70 technicians represented by the Oregon Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals (OFNHP) at Adventist Health Columbia Gorge (AHCG) in The Dalles have ratified their second union contract, marking another major step forward for the unit. The agreement passed with a 100% “Yes” vote among those who participated, demonstrating overwhelming support for the gains secured through collective bargaining.
The new contract delivers significant improvements in wages, differentials, scheduling practices, and workplace policies. One of the most important wins is a major overhaul of the wage structure. The previous 15-step pay scale has been expanded to 24 steps, ensuring more predictable wage growth and long-term earning potential for technicians across job classifications. All job titles received wage increases under the new scale, and previously existing “ghost steps” were eliminated. In addition, employees who have already progressed beyond the top step will receive lump-sum payments for each year above Step 24 — $1,000 for full-time workers and $500 for part-time workers.
The agreement also secures future wage increases of 3%, 2.5%, and 2% over the life of the contract, guaranteeing continued pay growth.
Members also won important increases to workplace differentials. The contract raises the evening differential to $2.50, the night differential to $5.00, the weekend differential to $1.50, and the preceptor differential to $1.25.
These improvements recognize the additional responsibilities and challenging hours many technicians work.
Additional gains include improvements to on-call pay and scheduling protections. Standby status has been renamed On Call, and pay has been standardized at $7.00 for most classifications, with Surgical Techs and Surgical First Assistants receiving $8.00.
The contract also establishes a clear order for mandatory low census that prioritizes protecting permanent employees.
Beyond wages and scheduling, the agreement improves workplace policies and communication. The union secured designated bulletin boards to ensure members have access to timely union information.
The contract also aligns employee definitions with Adventist policies and updates outdated language.
Technicians also won improvements to leave policies. The Extended Illness Time bank has increased from 624 hours to 800 hours, and the contract creates a new sick time bank.
The Paid Time Off system has also been streamlined, allowing members to request PTO up to 12 months in advance, with requests submitted at least four weeks before schedule posting and seniority considered when requests overlap.
Together, these gains represent a meaningful improvement in working conditions for AHCG technicians and demonstrate the power of collective bargaining. With a unanimous ratification vote and strong participation from members, the unit continues to build momentum as they strengthen their voice on the job and advocate for quality care for patients and a better workplace for healthcare professionals.