Tentative agreement reached in Will County

After two weeks on the picket line – and 15 months of difficult negotiations – over 1,000 members of AFSCME Local 1028 are set to return to work Thursday after reaching a tentative agreement with the county.

“The strike lasted more than two weeks during which time members of Local 1028 stood strong,” Council 31 Executive Director Henry Bayer said. “They will now be returning to work with their heads held high.”

County employees are set to vote on ratification of the tentative agreement on Thursday.

The strike began on Nov. 18 after 15 months of negotiations. Local 1028 members walked off the job after the county refused to agree to a contract that included fair wages and affordable health insurance costs.

County employees have already gone four years without a cost-of-living increase and 40 percent were making less than $30,000 a year. Despite that, they were asked to accept a proposal that would have drastically increased health care costs without adequate wage increases, making it effectively a pay cut for many workers.

“This strike was won because of the determination of the Will County employees who stood on the picket line day and night fighting for fairness,” Bayer said. “This is a victory not only for them, but also for the Will County residents, other AFSCME locals and members of other unions who supported them every day.”