Forum Health still hoping to reach new agreement with unions

HOWLAND — Union complaints about executive bonuses at Forum Health are distractions to efforts to reach new labor contracts, an executive said today.

Walter Pishkur, Forum president and chief executive, said he is prepared to seek court approval to reject union contracts if new agreements aren’t reached by Friday.

He said he was upset the Service Employees International Union issued a press release this week that made an issue of executive bonuses at a time when Forum is asking for concessions.

He said all the bonuses except his were put in place in 2006 and 2007 to keep executives in place because Forum at that time was trying to sell its hospitals.

He said he considers his bonus part of his salary that was negotiated as he left his position at Aqua Ohio.

He said negotiations with the unions are continuing and he hopes settlements can be reached.

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