by James Parks, Nov 8, 2007

The struggle of nurses at Appalachian Regional Healthcare (ARH) facilities for a fair deal is resonating with nurses across the country. This weekend, nurses from New York, Washington State, California and elsewhere are coming to walk the picket lines with their sisters and brothers in Kentucky and West Virginia. In supporting their struggle, nurses from around the country will highlight how the strike is part of the broader effort by the nation’s nurses and health care workers to ensure quality care for their patients.

After ARH forced 700 registered nurses out on strike more than five weeks ago, the nurses have stood strong in the face of management’s vitriolic anti-union campaign.

The nurses, members of the United American Nurses (UAN) at nine hospitals in Kentucky and West Virginia, had sought to negotiate a contract with safer staffing levels and higher patient care standards.

For two days, Nov. 9–10, the nurses will travel in a caravan from Lexington, Ky., to all picket lines, ending in Beckley, W. Va. They will begin with a protest outside ARH headquarters in Lexington on Friday, then walk the picket line at hospitals along the way to Beckley.  

AFL-CIO President John Sweeney says:

Nurses are coming from across the country to stand in solidarity with the nurses striking at ARH. As the fight continues for quality patient care over a corporation’s bottom line, [these] nurses are taking a stand for all working families.

The nurses in the caravan are members of unions that include AFT-Healthcare, California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee (CNA/NNOC), UAN and Washington State Nurses Association (WSNA). All are affiliates of RNs Coming Together, an AFL-CIO industrial coordinating committee.

The caravan is just part of the ongoing support by the union movement. On Nov. 10, volunteers from the AFL-CIO Community Services Network will deliver $10,000 worth of food to the strikers in Beckley. Last week, volunteers delivered another $10,000 in food to Hazard, Ky., area strikers. The AFL-CIO also donated $20,000 to provide emergency financial support for the striking nurses, with assistance given to those needing help with basic necessities like heating bills and food. 

At a get-out-the-vote rally last week in Hazard, AFSCME President Gerald McEntee gave striking nurses in the crowd a $10,000 check on behalf of his union. The CNA/NNOC also donated $10,000.

Members of the United Steelworkers (USW) and Mine Workers (UMWA) have joined solidarity walks with the nurses to call on ARH to recognize the nurses’ freedom to call for better patient care.

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