TUALATIN Ore. – The Oregon Nurses Association (ONA) has named Alan Yoder, JD, to lead its labor relations program. Serving as the Association’s in-house attorney since 2000, Yoder has worked extensively with nurses at ONA’s 52 represented facilities – negotiating collective bargaining agreements, representing facilities in Unfair Labor Practice proceedings, providing general legal advice to ONA’s membership, representing members in arbitration proceedings and assisting ONA with its extensive legislative agenda.
Yoder completed law school at Northwestern School of Law of Lewis and Clark College in 1998. He replaces Assistant Executive Director of Labor Relations Paul Goldberg, RN, BSN, who has held the position since 2004. Yoder will assume his new position July 1.
“Strength through advocacy and labor relations is critical to the success and well-being of Oregon’s RNs,” said Yoder. “Nurses across the state are experiencing increased pressure and less support from their medical facilities, as hospitals implement new health care delivery models in response to the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Insufficient nurse staffing levels, fewer trained support staff and an increase in patient acuity are factors that impact ONA’s skilled nurses, who are the primary front line caregivers and patient advocates. In my new role, I look forward to ensuring our nurses are working in the best possible conditions, which allow them to work at the top of their practice and create the best possible patient outcomes.”
ONA was founded in 1904 as the professional association for nurses in Oregon. ONA’s mission is to advocate for nursing and quality health care.
