The largest health care strike in Oregon history began early Friday at Providence across the state, as roughly 5,000 frontline health professionals walked off the job.

Nearly 5,000 healthcare workers from Providence Health began a strike Friday morning, picketing all eight Providence hospitals in Oregon, after months of contract negotiations between the health system and the Oregon Nurses Association (ONA) union,

The strike, which impacts all eight Providence hospitals in the state as well as six women’s clinics, includes nearly 5,000 nurses, and close to 150 physicians and advanced practitioners.

Thousands of Providence health care workers are striking this morning in the largest health care strike in Oregon history. Here's why.

Nearly 5,000 Providence nurses and other professionals walked off their jobs Friday in the largest such strike in state history.

Close to 5,000 Providence nurses and about 150 doctors, midwives and advanced practice providers went on strike indefinitely starting Friday morning.

Oregon’s Providence hospitals and nearly 5,000 of its workers have yet to agree on terms to bump wages and address staffing shortages. That means the largest health care strike in the state’s history will begin Friday morning.

Area hospitals including Oregon Health & Science University have been planning how to handle transfers during the strike, according to Sara Hottman, a university spokesperson. OHSU is home to the Oregon Medical Coordination Center and is also tabbed by the state to help coordinate during surges in hospital bed demand.