MORE: Striking Children Services workers and county reach tentative deal
The Professionals Guild of Ohio represents about 270 child welfare workers who handle abuse and neglect cases for some 2,000 children.
Jane Hay, the union’s local president, said the ratified the pact Thursday.
“The membership voted to approve the tentative agreement,” Hay said in an e-mail. “We look forward to the commissioners voting next week, so we can get back to the business of protecting the children and servicing the families in our community! Our families have missed us and our commitment to them.”
County spokeswoman Brianna Wooten said the commissioners are set to vote on today’s union-ratified pact Oct. 8.
“We are of course happy to hear that the union members have accepted our most recent offer,” Wooten said.
MORE: State board to rule on future of Children Services strike
She said the offer includes 4.5% wage increase across the board, with a $250 lump sum payment for ratification.
“This also included a 1 percent adjustment to the very top of the range,” Wooten said.
When negotiations began nearly seven months ago, the union wanted a 6% increase for all its workers. The county originally offered a 1.5% increase, but later changed it to 2% and then 4%. Prior to the accepted agreement, an offer was made by the county for 5%, retroactive to April 1 before last week’s strike.
Union leaders said top-scale earners would not get a 5% raise to base pay, but instead would receive a lump-sum payment.
The union went on strike in July, but the county sought a temporary injunction preventing the walkout that was granted by Common Pleas Judge Richard S. Skelton. The 60-day injunction expired at the end of last month and union workers again hit the picket line for the past week.
MORE: Children Services workers to go on strike again Sunday
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