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 nurses at eight Providence hospitals are on strike Friday morning, and for the first time in Oregon history, they are being joined by some doctors as well. Read online:

Providence has begun limiting admissions to its SW Portland hospital, St. Vincent Medical Center, ahead of what could be the largest health care strike in Oregon history. The big picture: Roughly 5,000 health care workers — including physicians,

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.

With concern growing over hospital care as a Friday strike looms at Providence Hospitals, representatives from the Oregon Nurses Association held a press conference to update the public on their preparations.