Champaign, IL (CHAMBANA TODAY) – Late Tuesday night, the Champaign County Board Labor Committee and the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) Local 900 reached a tentative three-year contract agreement, narrowly avoiding a strike that union members had planned to begin Wednesday morning.

The deal, which followed over eight hours of bargaining on Tuesday, includes several key benefits for the roughly 250 county employees represented by the union. Highlights of the proposal include 3% raises in fiscal year 2025 — retroactive to January 1 — and another 3% raise in fiscal year 2026. Employees would also receive a $3,000 bonus, a 5% reduction in health insurance premiums, lower premiums for dependents, 12 weeks of paid parental leave, and an additional floating holiday.

The agreement still requires ratification by both the AFSCME bargaining unit and the Champaign County Board before it becomes official.

Employees represented by AFSCME Local 900, who work across various departments including the courthouse, Brookens Administrative Center, Highway Department, Animal Control, the Coroner’s Office, and the county jail, have been without a contract since December 31, 2024. In May, the union voted overwhelmingly to authorize a strike if negotiations failed.

“The Committee is proud to have reached a tentative agreement after a long negotiation process,” said Labor Committee Chair Emily Rodriguez in a county press release. “In this time of uncertainty, we seek to ensure our County is a place where good work can be done with dignity.”

AFSCME Council 31 staff representative Natalie Nagel also acknowledged the hard work of both negotiating teams and thanked a federal mediator who facilitated discussions during Tuesday’s session.

Union leaders stated that a vote on the proposed contract will take place in the coming days. If approved, the agreement will then go to the Champaign County Board for final consideration.