PeaceHealth Southwest Workers Vote Overwhelmingly to Join Union

VANCOUVER, WASH.—The licensed technical professionals at PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center voted overwhelmingly Thursday night to join a union affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers. The unit of 315 includes MRI, surgical, radiology, CT, ultrasound, anesthesia and pharmacy techs; and LPNs.

Workers and union leaders issued the following statements after the vote:

PeaceHealth Southwest Respiratory Therapist Rebecca Russo:
“Today, after a two-year fight, techs and therapists finally won our union. We know that together we can finally have a voice. I'm just so overwhelmed by the turnout and the support from all my co-workers.”

PeaceHealth Southwest CT Tech Eric Quinn:
“It's overwhelming. We sent the message that we wanted to send. We didn't just win—it was a blowout.”

Oregon Federation of Nurses and Health Professionals Executive President Dawnette McCloud:
“Healthcare workers are choosing union representation now more than ever due to rampant understaffing. By working together in a union, we can create safer conditions for workers and patients.”

American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten:
“Across the country, healthcare professionals are joining our union because they see that union representation gives them a vehicle to advocate for respect, voice, and fair pay and benefits for themselves, and for better conditions for the patients they serve,” said AFT President Randi Weingarten. “In recent years, conditions for licensed technical workers at PeaceHealth Southwest have grown worse and worse—with layoffs, the loss of paid leave, fewer benefits and dangerously low staffing. Health professionals’ working conditions are patients’ healing conditions—now that they’ve formed a union, these workers have a new way to advocate for themselves and their patients.”