McDOWELL -- Union employees at nine Appalachian Regional Healthcare hospitals are on strike for the third time since the Lexington-based chain bought the facilities from the United Mineworkers of America in 1963.
About 60 percent of ARH's 4,600 employees walked out at 12:01 a.m.
Sunday after negotiators in Lexington were unable to agree on a new contract.
Both sides declined to speculate on how long the strike will last, but history indicates it will not be short.
In 1986, the last time Priscilla Compton helped stake out a tent for a strike at the McDowell Appalachian Regional Hospital, it stayed there 91 days.
A 1974 strike lasted 119 days.
Compton, vice president of Local 14636 of the United Steelworkers of America, vowed to "stay out as long as it takes."
Jerry W.
Haynes of Lexington, the hospital group's president and chief executive officer, said in a statement, "ARH is hopeful that a resolution can be reached to resolve the issues and to end the strike."
Hundreds of workers at ARH hospitals in McDowell, Hazard, Middlesboro, Harlan, Whitesburg, South Williamson and Morgan County are affected by the strike, union officials said. Walkouts also occurred in Beckley and Hinton, W.
Va.
Nurse Linda Mullins, a 22-year employee in McDowell, said the union is accusing the hospital of unfair labor practices.
"For instance, they want to lock our insurance coverage into this hospital only," Mullins said, "but there are specialities they don't offer and if we go outside, we pay 100 percent," Mullins said.
About 30 strikers stood beside the road in front of the McDowell hospital and cheered as motorists blew their horns. The pickets waved cardboard signs that said, "Scabs suck" and "No Service Available."
The atmosphere was less cordial in Harlan, where 440 workers are on strike.
Kentucky State Police arrested two pickets Sunday night for allegedly trying to stop ARH vans from bringing replacement workers into the hospital parking lot.
Yesterday, the sheriff's office served a summons to a hospital employee, charging wanton endangerment after allegations she nearly struck a picket with her auto.
Union officials attended a Harlan Fiscal Court meeting, seeking an ordinance to stop the hospital from bringing in replacement workers.
What they got was a resolution expressing the fiscal court's support for the union and opposing the "use of outside replacement workers."
ARH said in a statement that it intends to keep the hospitals open and has made "contingency arrangements" to provide patient care. Talks will resume Wednesday.
Compton said she was not aware of any attempt by ARH to replace striking employees in McDowell.
"We haven't had anybody arrested," Compton said. "We're a small hospital.
We try to get along. We do what we have to and management does what it has to do.
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