A Union for Appalachian Healthcare Workers: The Radical Roots and Hard Fights of Local 1199

The 1199 union, which represents hospital workers, is a powerful example of how organized labor, healthcare, and civil rights intersect in US history. John Hennen's book explores the union's history in Appalachia, a region associated with extractive industries but has seen healthcare grow as a share of the economy. The union was at the forefront of labor's vanguard in the 1970s, with a multiracial, largely female, and notably militant membership. Hennen's book provides a sophisticated account of an overlooked aspect of Appalachia's labor history and a valuable contribution to the fields of history, Appalachian studies, and social movements.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 288 pages
Publication date: 30 November 2021
Publisher: West Virginia University Press

The 1199, the union of hospital workers, is a significant intersection of organized labor, healthcare, and civil rights in US history. John Hennen's book explores the union's history in Appalachia, a region often associated with extractive industries but experiencing a growing healthcare sector. With a multiracial, predominantly female, and notably militant membership, the 1199 played a leading role in labor movements in the 1970s, particularly in hospitals, nursing homes, and healthcare centers in West Virginia, eastern Kentucky, and Appalachian Ohio. Hennen contextualizes these stories of low-wage women workers within the broader shake-ups of the late industrial and early postindustrial United States, drawing on the voices of Local 1199 workers and organizers themselves. This book offers a sophisticated account of an overlooked aspect of Appalachia's labor history and provides valuable insights into the current concerns surrounding the status of essential workers. It is a timely contribution to the fields of history, Appalachian studies, and social movements.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781952271243