Nurses on Strike in Kentucky & West Virginia!

Nurses in Kentucky and West Virginia have been on strike for nearly a month.  They need you to take action today to help end their strike against the Appalachian Regional Health System!

Sample Letter for Campaign

Subject: Say YES to a fair contract for nurses

Dear [ Decision Maker ] ,

I am disappointed and discouraged by the treatment of Registered Nurses (RNs) and members of the Kentucky Nurses' Association by Appalachian Regional Healthcare (ARH). I believe that RNs employed by ARH are being treated with disrespect.

RNs employed by ARH have shown great patience during the past three years in negotiations concerning their contracts. Please do not treat our nurses as disposable. Please think hard about what a strike means to low-income communities and how your actions and disregard of the RNs basic labor needs is affecting the quality of healthcare in two states.

I support KNA and ask that ARH show respect to RNs by negotiating their contracts with the best interest of the RNs, their families and our communities in mind.

Sincerely,

Campaign Launched:
October 29, 2007


Background Information

More than 630 nurses in Kentucky and West Virginia had their pay cut by 10% by the Appalachian Regional Health system in December 2005.  A case was arbitrated and nurses were upheld in their grievance but the company refused to adhere to the arbitrator’s ruling and appealed to federal court.

The Kentucky Nurses Association, which has represented nine Appalachian Regional Hospitals since the 1970s after purchasing them from the United Mine Workers, is on strike because of the negative treatment of nurses by ARH management and allowing and promoting unsafe staffing for patients.

The UMW built the hospitals to care for their own in their local communities and to support unionism.  Those who pay benefits need to know that there are not sufficient nurses to care for their members and that the ARH is trying to force the nurses to strike.

 

  • nurses have been on strike for almost a month
  • hospital administrators refuse to address pay raises, mandatory overtime, and staffing ratios with the nurses
  • replacement nurses have already been hired by the hospital administration
    •