Jean Ross, RN, Louisville Courier-Journal, January 16, 2012 As a bedside registered nurse for nearly 40 years, and an elected leader of National Nurses United (NNU), the nation’s largest RN union, I applaud Governor Steve Beshear’s decision to protect University Hospital from privatization by CHI - one of the largest corporate hospital chains in the country. Patients in Louisville can breathe easier knowing that one of the city’s most precious health care resources will remain in the public trust. RNs understand that our obligation to advocate for our patients cannot stop at the bedside. ... Nurses

Taylor Kuykendall, Register-Herald, April 21, 2011 A nurses union recently secured a three-year contract for nurses at several southern West Virginia hospitals. More than 750 Appalachian Regional Healthcare (ARH) nurses represented by the Southern United Nurses, an affiliate of the National Nurses United, entered into a contract agreement with ARH. The deal involves ARH locations in eastern Kentucky and southern West Virginia. “ARH entered into these negotiations with the goal of reaching a fair contract with competitive wages and benefits,” said Dan Fitzpatrick, executive director of Human Resources and Labor Relations for ARH. ... ARH

Associated Press, April 20, 2011 Charleston - Appalachian Regional Healthcare says a contract covering more than 750 registered nurses in Kentucky and West Virginia has been ratified. Appalachian says in a news release that nurses represented by the Southern United Nurses approved the new three-year contract Tuesday. The nonprofit health care system didn't provide details. The new contract is effective May 1. Appalachian Regional Healthcare operates nine hospitals in West Virginia and Kentucky. It also operates physician practices, home health agencies, HomeCare Stores and retail pharmacies.

Officials with Appalachian Regional Healthcare say registered nurses approved new three-year contract. West Virginia Media, April 20, 2011 Beckley -  Seven hundred-fifty registered nurses represented by Southern United Nurses in West Virginia and Kentucky voted to ratify a new three-year contract Tuesday, April 19, 2011. The deal goes in to effect on May 1. Hospital officials said they entered negotiations with a goal of reaching a fair contract with competitive wages and benefits. ARH owns nine hospitals in the two states, including Summers County Appalachian Regional and Beckley Appalachian Regional Hospitals. Copyright 2011 West Virginia Media. All rights reserved.

WYMT, April 19, 2011 Appalachian Regional Healthcare (ARH) registered nurses in Kentucky and West Virginia voted Tuesday to ratify a new three-year contract. The contract covers more than 750 of ARH's registered nurses represented by the Southern United Nurses (SUN) and will be effective May 1. “ARH entered into these negotiations with the goal of reaching a fair contract with competitive wages and benefits,” said Dan Fitzpatrick, executive director of Human Resources and Labor Relations for ARH. “The ratified agreement will help ARH remain a viable and sustainable healthcare system.” ... ARH

Patrick Howington, Louisville Courier-Journal, March 13, 2009 The Nurses Professional Organization, which has been trying to unionize nurses at Norton Audubon Hospital for 20 years, has withdrawn its petition for a union election at the Louisville hospital. The Cincinnati-based regional director of the National Labor Relations Board approved the withdrawal of the union’s petition yesterday. That closed the books on an NLRB case dating back to 1994, when the union lost an election at Audubon for the second time since it started organizing there in 1989. The NLRB later overturned the election results, saying tactics by the hospital’s owner at the time, Columbia/HCA ... Nurses

Business First of Louisville, March 13, 2009 A lengthy union battle to organize nurses at Louisville’s Norton Audubon Hospital on Poplar Level Road has come to a halt. On Thursday, the National Labor Relations Board approved a request on behalf of the Nurses Professional Organization to withdraw a petition for an election, according to a press release from Norton Healthcare Inc. “This concludes a process that began with the original nurses union election at Norton Audubon in March 1994,” the statement said. ... Nurses

James Parks, AFL-CIO, December 24, 2007 Striking nurses in West
Virginia and Kentucky yesterday approved a new tentative agreement that
could send them back to work soon. Nearly 700 members of the United
American Nurses (UAN) union have been on strike at nine Appalachian
Regional Healthcare (ARH) hospitals since October 1. The UAN members
are seeking a contract with safer staffing levels and higher patient
care standards. The nurses are concerned that management’s staffing
decisions and rampant mandatory overtime are preventing them from
giving patients the best possible care. ... Striking

Jillian Ogawa, Lexington Herald-Leader, December 23, 2007 Nurses who
had been on strike for nearly three months ratified a new contract with
employer Appalachian Regional Healthcare. “This three-month long strike
has been tough on everybody, and we’re anxious to get back to work,”
said Pat Tanner, chief negotiator for the Kentucky and West Virginia
nurses associations. “And to help ARH rebuild and ... to bring the
patients and communities that we care about back to the safe, quality
patient care.” Voting occurred Friday and Saturday at the nine ARH
hospitals in Kentucky and West Virginia, and the latest round of
negotiations occurred over eight days in Lexington, Tanner said. ... Appalachian

United American Nurses, AFL-CIO, December 21, 2007 Negotiating team
members for nurses at Appalachian Regional Health Care, represented by
the Kentucky and West Virginia Nurses Associations/UAN, have reached a
tentative agreement on a contract and back-to-work settlement with ARH.
Members will vote on the contract this weekend; details of the contract
will be available after the vote. © 2006 The United American Nurses.
All Rights Reserved.

Associated Press, December 8, 2007 Frankfort - Striking nurses at nine
Appalachian hospitals say they're willing to return to work for 90 days
while negotiators draft a new contract under a proposal put forth by
Kentucky Gov.-elect Steve Beshear and West Virginia Gov. Joe Manchin on
Thursday. Chief union negotiator Pat Tanner said local union presidents
unanimously voted to accept the proposal. ... ARH

WYMT, December 6, 2007 It is a big win for ARH nurses in a two year old
fight over pay issues. A federal appeals court ruled Appalachian
Regional Healthcare will have to pay millions in back pay to nurses.
The dispute started back in 2005, long before the strike, but nurses on
the picket line in Hazard say the decision renews their energy to fight
for what they believe is right. "It was wonderful, it was great," said
Kim Hurt with the Kentucky Nurses Association. If the federal appeals
court decision stands, hundreds of registered nurses, like Kim Hurt,
will receive more than three and a half million dollars in back pay
from ARH. ... Judge

Associated Press, December 4, 2007 Louisville - Nurses at nine
hospitals in eastern Kentucky and West Virginia will remain on strike
after voting 455-5 Tuesday night to reject a contract offer. The nurses
working for Appalachian Regional Healthcare walked off the job Oct. 1.
Chief union negotiator Pat Tanner said the company's latest offer was
"not enough." Company spokeswoman Candace Elkins said the company
hadn't received official word from the union that the offer made Friday
had been rejected. ... Striking

James Parks, AFL-CIO Weblog, November 29, 2007 Nurses from coast to
coast rallied today in Lexington, Ky., to show support for strikers at
Appalachian Regional Healthcare (ARH). With the strike soon entering
its third month, the financial resources of the picketers are running
low, but their resolve is strong. Rue Hairston, a nurse for 31 years at
ARH’s hospital in Beckley, W.Va., says the strikers are not yet in dire
straits because of the generous help they’ve received from their
brothers and sisters in the union movement. But if they are unable to
get a contract soon, many nurses could face tough times ... Nation

Doug Cunningham, Workers Independent News, November 28, 2007 AFL-CIO
Vice-President Arlene Holt Baker is joining striking Kentucky nurses
today and she won't show up empty handed. She’s bringing a $20,000
check from the AFL-CIO to help provide emergency financial support for
the hundreds of nurses striking Appalachian Regional Healthcare. The
nurses in Kentucky and West Virginia have been on strike since October
1st against seven hospitals over staffing and patient care issues. The
nurses want higher staffing levels maintained and higher patient care
standards. Holt Baker will join the nurses in Lexington, Kentucky today
to present the AFL-CIO check of support.