Auburn Memorial Hospital has reached an agreement with its unionized registered nurses and licences practical nurses that terminates their existing pension plan, arranges for them to join a union-run retirement plan and gives them 3-percent average pay raises over the next three years.

The deal, which must be approved by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge overseeing the hospital's Chapter 11 case, would be a major step forward in the hospital's reorganization plan as it attempts to erase the debt it owes on pension plans.

The hospital announced the deal Monday. It also said that John Baran, who has been interim chief financial hospital, will take over in the permanent role.

For more on this story, read Tuesday's edition of The Citizen.