RNs secure contract to keep rural healthcare facilities open and staffed

Rural Health Care Secured with New Contract for Nurses

Registered nurses at nine Appalachian Regional Healthcare (ARH) facilities located in Kentucky and West Virginia have successfully ratified a new three-year contract as of January 23, 2026. The contract aims to improve recruitment and retention of nurses, as announced by the National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United (NNOC/NNU).

"I am happy we were able to add language that guarantees every union nurse is getting a significant raise and 12 hours of holiday pay," said Rachel Park, an operating room RN at Hazard ARH Regional Medical Center in Hazard, Kentucky. "This was a huge victory for our night shift nurses who had this benefit taken away in prior contract fights."

Key Provisions of the Contract

• Wellness Days: Nurses can take time off without facing penalties.
• Economic Gains: Wage increases, including step increases and cost-of-living adjustments each year, are part of the agreement. Nurses will see an average increase of nearly 10% over the contract's duration, and holiday pay is ensured for all, regardless of shift.
• Preservation of layoff and seniority protections.
• No takeaways or concessions are included in this agreement.

The agreement spans from May 1, 2026, to April 30, 2029.

"It’s good that nurses now have two wellness days," stated Lisa Salyer, a medical-surgical RN at Morgan County ARH Hospital in West Liberty, Kentucky. "That’s something we have wanted for some time to allow us time to take care of ourselves so we can be the best for our patients."

The NNOC represents over 700 nurses working at these nine ARH facilities.

National Nurses United is the largest and fastest-growing union and professional association of registered nurses in the United States with more than 225,000 members nationwide. NNU affiliates include California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee, DC Nurses Association, Michigan Nurses Association, Minnesota Nurses Association, and New York State Nurses Association.

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