Forum Health, Hillside workers reach agreement


February 12, 2008 at 6:40p.m.

Forum Health, Hillside workers reach agreement

HOWLAND — Hillside Rehabilitation Hospital nurses and technical and support staff has ratified a new one-year contract with Forum Health that includes a 3 percent across-the-board wage increase.

The work agreement was overwhelmingly approved Friday and goes into effect April 1, said Debbie Bindas, chief negotiator for American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 2288. The union represents 161 employees at the hospital.

The wage increase comes after an 18-month wage freeze, Bindas said.

The rest of the new contract, on which a tentative agreement was reached Feb. 6, is basically a rollover of the current concessionary pact that was accepted by employees about a year ago to help Forum Health survive, Bindas said. The current contract was set to expire March 31.

For the complete story, see Wednesday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com.