ONA Union continues vote on agreement, verdict expected soon

MEDFORD, Ore. – Some local nurses represented by the Oregon Nurses Association are voting on terms reached with Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center.

For months, the ONA says workers have been asking for increases in wages, adequate staffing, additional resources and more.

ONA representatives tell us that the lack of action on these requests has been driving a lot of nurses to leave the profession.

But after reaching a tentative agreement late last month, the ONA negotiators are presenting the terms to the rest of the union.

Union representatives say that they are confident that the vote will be ratified.

ONA Spokesperson, Kevin Mealy said, “we feel like the nurses at the table did a tremendous job coming up with an agreement that they could recommend to ratify, and that’s what we expect to happen, but of course we’re happy that management was able to work with us to reach this agreement. And we hope that it will be ratified but of course, we bow to the will of the members because this is their union.”

If the union votes yes, the changes will go into effect immediately.

If the union votes no, negotiations will continue.

The voting results are set to be official early next week.