Essex County libraries will open on Feb. 16 after the board approved the new deal.
"I'm happy that we finally have our libraries back for our patrons," said board chair Richard Meloche after the new agreement was approved Friday.
CUPE 2974 members walked the picket line for almost eight months, before 54 of 58 members voted 70 per cent in favour of the deal on Thursday.
The chair of library worker’s union said “It was the best deal we could get.”
Lori Wightman of CUPE 2974 stated 54 of 58 members voted 70 per cent in favour of the deal.
“Obviously all along this thing, the issue has been the short term disability,” said Wightman. “We didn't want, they wanted it, in a perfect world the STD would have went away, they didn't want to have to deal with that, but it’s not a perfect world.”
As part of the back to work protocol, Essex County libraries will re-open on Thursday, Feb. 16,
