A West Virginia hospital is doing little to soothe union workers’ pain after cutting off health coverage for employees on strike.
Cabell Huntington Hospital halted its coverage to its employees on Nov. 4, the same day the workers went on strike. It was not until Tuesday, when a worker’s prescription was rejected for not having enough insurance coverage, that employees found out they were no longer covered, according to the Herald-Dispatch.
The lack of notice was described as “a point of cruelty” by Union Organizing Director Sherri McKinney.
“When we get to the point of striking, we know that the relationship between workers and administration may be strained, but this has reached a point of cruelty that I truly could not have anticipated,” McKinney’s statement read. “Without any notification to CHH employees on strike or retirees, they have cut all healthcare benefits to the Union membership.”
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The hospital’s director of human resources, Molly Frick, released a statement on Wednesday saying she informed the union leadership that a strike would result in a halt in healthcare coverage. Frick said she was disappointed the union had not alerted the workers to the consequences of the strike. Any employee who wants to come back to work will have all benefits restored, the outlet reported.
The hospital had filed a preliminary injunction in court Wednesday prohibiting the union from performing certain actions outside the hospital. Witnesses reported striking workers blocking entrances, making loud noises outside the hospital, and throwing rocks, disturbing patients inside, according to the outlet.
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Circuit Judge Alfred Ferguson issued a temporary injunction for the union to discontinue its disruptive actions. Ferguson said anyone violating the order may be held in contempt of court, per the outlet.
Cabell Huntington Hospital has not yet responded to the Washington Examiner’s request for comment.
