Manchin Keeps a Hand in Nurses' Strike

Gov. Joe Manchin continues his efforts to broker a settlement to the two-month-plus strike by nurses at Appalachian Regional Healthcare hospitals, and has been joined by Kentucky Gov.-elect Steve Beshear, The Register-Herald of Beckley reports.

Manchin and Beshear met with nurses and ARH officials Monday at the Capitol, though to no avail, the article said.

"Still pending is their proposal that nurses return to work under the old contract for a 90-day cooling off period while negotiations are being held," the newspaper reports. "Manchin injected a new wrinkle — that each side limit its representatives at the bargaining table to five people."

Several of the striking nurses joined in a Capitol Rotunda rally that coincided with the ongoing legislative interim meetings. Public Broadcasting has an article as well as audio.

The Register-Herald covered the rally as well, focusing on one nurse who cast the strike as "a struggle against “corporate greed,” manifested in low staffing levels and forced overtime."