Springfield, OR – Hospital workers who are members of SEIU 49 gathered, marched, chanted, and spoke out on their first day of a 5-day strike. Hospital caregivers made the difficult decision to strike following a breakdown in discussions with management over patient and worker safety issues. Workers maintain that management remains far from resolving key priorities to settle a fair union contract that would provide market rate wages, healthcare workers can afford to use, and COVID protections like paid time off and recognition bonuses.