Who We Are The Association of University Registered Nurses (AURN) is a union of 1600 Registered Nurses who provide patient care at the Oregon Health and Science University in Portland, Oregon. Our bargaining unit is a member of the Oregon Nurses Association and the American Nurses Association. We are also an affiliate of the AFL-CIO. Our History In 1970, a group of nurses at OHSU wanted to band together to form a union, so that they could address their workplace issues collectively, instead of one-on-one, with management. After contacting the Oregon Nurses Association (ONA) to assist them in forming their union, the OHSU nurses established the Association of University Registered Nurses (AURN) as the first nurse bargaining unit at OHSU. In 1971, they negotiated and ratified their first contract. We have a proud history of pooling our collective resources and bargaining as one voice with OHSU management. Over the years, we have successfully negotiated over a dozen successor contracts which developed the many rights and benefits seen in our contract today. Many dedicated teams of nurses over thirty-years' time have sat across the table from management and argued for the rights of nurses. In December of 2001, after negotiating with management over many months, we came to an impasse. Not only were we fighting for better wages and benefits but we had become frustrated over our staffing conditions and management's unwillingness to respond to our concerns. Seeing no other recourse, we walked out on strike on December 17, 2001. After 56 days, we finally reached an agreement with management that addressed our concerns and gave us hope for the future. AURN Today  Today, AURN nurses are actively involved in every facet of our work lives. We participate in our Unit Based Nurse Practice Committees to improve our unit practices and patient care; we educate ourselves through classes on collective action and take care of each other by our work on the Grievance Committee, PNCC, Drug-Free Task Force, Magnet, and a myriad of AURN Committees dedicated to improving our lives and work at OHSU. Take a look at the opportunities for working collectively with your fellow nurses and join us. We look forward to benefiting from your talents!