Benton County and a union bargaining team reached an agreement on a new labor contract during the late-night hours Tuesday following a strike that had started Nov. 13.
Officials said the contract will be presented to the Benton County Board of Commissioners for approval during a Dec. 3 meeting. The contract will take effect immediately upon ratification.
“It took a tremendous amount of teamwork, problem-solving and inclusive decision-making to come to this point,” County Administrator Rachel McEneny said through a news release. “This agreement includes creative solutions that will make us stronger as a county.”
Representatives of AFSCME (American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees) Local 2064 presented the agreement to its membership Wednesday for a final vote and the contract terms were accepted.
The county said managers and supervisors had already welcomed many employees back to work Wednesday with the rest to return Thursday.
Public service hours will remain 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Thursday and Friday this week while employees return to work and catch up on communications and any backlog, officials said. For updates on service availability, go online to bentoncountyor.gov/announce.
The county said normal public service hours will return Monday through Wednesday next week (8 a.m.-5 p.m. for most services). County offices and Community Health Centers will be closed Nov. 28-29 for the Thanksgiving holiday.