Samaritan Health Primary Care Clinicians Move to Unionize

Primary care clinicians at Corvallis, Oregon-based Samaritan Health Services are moving to unionize. According to Becker's Hospital Review, physicians, physician associates and nurse practitioners at Samaritan Medical Group filed a representation petition with the National Labor Relations Board on Aug. 19. The petition, brought by Northwest Medicine United, an AFT Healthcare affiliate, covers full-time and regular part-time primary care providers.

The filing is the latest sign that unionization is spreading beyond nurses and residents into the ranks of attending physicians and advanced practice providers. Clinicians increasingly cite burnout, heavy patient loads, administrative burden and a loss of voice in decisions driven by consolidation and corporate ownership as reasons to organize.

If the election succeeds, Samaritan would join a growing list of systems negotiating directly with employed doctors over staffing levels, workload and working conditions. For hospital and medical group leaders, the trend signals rising pressure to address the day-to-day frustrations that push clinicians toward collective bargaining.