Union Workers Ratify Contract, End Strike At W.Va. Hospital

Union maintenance and service workers at a West Virginia hospital ratified a contract Wednesday to end a month-old strike, the hospital announced.

Members of the Service Employees International Union District 119 ratified the three-year contract covering more than 900 workers at Cabell Huntington Hospital. The hospital said in a statement that employees could likely begin returning to work as soon as Friday.

The statement did not disclose details of the contract, which Dr. Kevin Yingling, the hospital’s president, called “fair and equitable.”

Under an earlier offer, the hospital had asked union members to begin paying health insurance premiums.

“We value all of our employees as each plays an important role in delivering reliable, quality care to our patients,” said hospital Chief Operating Officer Tim Martin. “We are committed to being the best employer in the region with outstanding wages and benefits and this contract confirms that. We look forward to welcoming back our coworkers and resuming normal operations.”