Now that the eight-month strike by Essex County library workers has ended, another labour challenge is about to begin.
Essex County is preparing for contract negotiations with three more labour groups.
They include support staff at Sun Parlor home, nurses at the long term care home and EMS staff.
But those negotiations are not expected to last as long as the library strike, which lasted 230 days.
All three groups are considered essential, and cannot strike.
The County is ready to start negotiations with EMS. If that fails, the talks will go to arbitration.
The Ontario Nurses Association, which represents nursing staff at Sun Parlor, is awaiting an arbitration date.
The main sticking point is sick time -- the same issue that kept 58 library workers on the picket line for nearly eight months.
Essex County wants to stop the practice of banking unused sick hours. In the negotiations with CUPE local 2974, both sides agreed to grandfather current employees.
The Chair of the Library Board, Richard Meloche, says anyone who is hired will not have the opportunity to bank those unused sick days.
“They will get a cash payout at the end of the year” says Meloche.
CUPE local 2974 also agreed to have claims handled by Sunlife Insurance.
Both sides are now trying to look to the future.
The 58 library workers returned to work on Tuesday after both sides ratified a four-year contract last week.
That deal does include a two percent wage increase in every year of the contract.
All 14 library branches in Essex County will open on Thursday, but the hours will vary by location.
Library CEO Robin Greenall says they will only offer book loaning as they re-open branches.
Greenall adds their extra programming will likely begin after the march break.
