Essex County workers agree to new collective agreement

The 48 inside and outside workers in Essex County have a new collective agreement.

The 65 per cent of the workers who voted on Thursday night accepted the four year contract.

CUPE Local 2974 President Ian Nash says it includes a two per cent pay increase each year, along with a $1,500 signing bonus for full-time staff and $750 signing bonus for part-timers.

The workers have also accepted the contentious change to the sick time policy.

Nash tells CTV News he’s disappointed because the members asked to see the County of Essex's final offer before the union entered bargaining.

Nash believes they could have negotiated a better deal, but says the workers are worried about going on strike, as the 58 library workers are, who have been on the picket lines for 126 days.

County Council will look at and vote on the agreement on November 2^nd.

In the meantime, there is no word from the Essex County Library Board about when they hope to get back to the table to end the strike.