Champaign, IL (CHAMBANA TODAY) – Champaign County government employees are prepared to walk off the job on Wednesday if ongoing contract negotiations fail to produce a deal, according to union officials.

The American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 900 announced that more than 96% of its members voted to authorize a strike, citing stagnant wages and potential spikes in healthcare costs.

“For too many of us, county wages aren’t living wages,” said Cecelia Phillips, a Deputy Clerk in the Circuit Clerk’s office and president of Local 900. “They start at less than $16 an hour, and a third of all county workers make less than $20 an hour.” Phillips also criticized county management for offering little movement in negotiations and refusing to guarantee limits on employee health insurance hikes, which she said could increase by up to 150%.

“That’s unacceptable,” she stated.

The two sides are scheduled to return to the bargaining table at 9 a.m. Tuesday in a final effort to avert the strike. If an agreement isn’t reached, the strike would begin the following day, potentially disrupting county services.

AFSCME represents a broad range of county employees, including clerical staff, maintenance workers, and others vital to daily government operations.