On the fifth day of the largest health care strike in Oregon history, Providence indicated it is ready to resume negotiation talks with the some 5,000 striking nurses and doctors across its eight hospitals.

PORTLAND, Ore. — Monday marked the fourth day of the Providence strike, and the hospital system is saying that it's ready to talk with union employees at most of its hospitals. Bargaining plans include six of the eight of Providence hospitals, but not the two biggest ones in Portland.

Thousands of nurses at Oregon’s Providence hospitals are heading into their second week of a walk-out. Negotiations over a new contract are going slowly and Providence says it's "prepared for a lengthy strike.

The fight for these demands immediately poses the need for a broader industrial and political struggle against the Democrats, Republicans and trade union apparatus.

The strike, which impacts all eight Providence hospitals in the state as well as six women’s clinics, includes nearly 5,000 nurses, and more than 100 physicians and advanced practitioners.

After five days of Oregon's largest health-care strike, including the state's first doctors' work stoppage, Providence Health announced it is ready to return to the bargaining table. The Oregon Nurses Association is calling for competitive wages and resolution of what it calls systemic,

The largest health care worker strike in Oregon history is continuing this week, with thousands of Providence nurses and a number of doctors taking to picket lines across the state. Health care workers began their strike on Friday,

Providence Health & Services said its negotiators are ready to reopen talks with the Oregon Nurses Association to end a strike by 5,000 doctors, nurses and other medical personnel that began on Jan. 10.