Steelworkers Ratify Three-Year Contract with ARH

Contact: Terry Sims – (502) 968-6900; tsims@usw.org or
             Tony Montana (412) 562-2592; tmontana@usw.org

PITTSBURGH – The United Steelworkers (USW) today said that the union has ratified a three-year contract with Appalachian Regional Healthcare (ARH) covering about 2,200 hourly employees at nine locations in Southeastern Kentucky and Southern West Virginia.

The union said that it is pleased to have reached a fair agreement with ARH and that the contract includes meaningful cash payments for workers while maintaining reasonable employee contributions to cover the cost of their health insurance benefits.

The USW represents Licensed Practical Nurses, clerical staff, technicians and other hourly workers at ARH facilities located in Beckley and Summers County, W.V. as well as Morgan County, Middlesboro, Williamson, Hazard, Harlan, McDowell and Whitesburg, Ky.

The USW represents 850,000 men and women employed in metals, mining, pulp and paper, rubber, chemicals, glass, auto supply and the energy-producing industries, along with a growing number of workers in public sector and service occupations.

Its Health Care Workers Council includes more than 45,000 members working in hospitals, nursing homes, pharmacies, emergency response and schools throughout the United States and Canada.

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