More than 3,000 nursing home workers across Oregon are operating under expired contracts as of Oct. 1.
Workers at Meadow Park Care in St. Helens were first to authorize a strike, with 98% in support. Other nursing and assisted living facilities represented by SEIU Local 503 may follow suit this month. Staffing issues are a key topic in contract negotiations, as well as pay and safety concerns.
“Our residents deserve to live their lives with dignity, and if there are not enough of us to answer call lights when a resident needs us right away, that could be the difference between waiting too long to get help to go to the bathroom and soiling themself,” Meadow Park certified nursing assistant (CNA) Melissa Williams said. Williams was one of several workers who spoke at a union press conference Oct. 1…