Normal, IL (CAPITOL CITY NOW) – A tentative contract has been reached with more than 300 striking workers at Illinois State University.

The university and AFSCME say the deal came about after hours of negotiations Monday with a federal mediator.

The university says terms of the deal will not be released until after they’re ratified.

It covers building, dining, and grounds workers, and came about a week after Governor Pritzker said in Springfield both sides needed to work something out.  Pritzker also placed criticism at that time on his November election opponent, Darren Bailey.

“Darren Bailey, who likes to say that somehow he’s standing with the workers, has never stood with workers in this state,” said Pritzker, last Tuesday, at Scheel’s Sports Park.  “He voted against raising the minimum wage in our state.  He’s voted against the worker’s rights amendment.  He voted against every provision that we’ve put forward that’s good for workers in the State of Illinois.”

Two days later, Bailey, making a campaign appearance outside a police memorial at the Illinois State Capitol, responded.

“I always support the workers of Illinois, and I am certainly not anti-union as JB Pritzker proposes,” said Bailey.  “They have been without a paycheck now for three weeks.  I wonder how long JB Pritzker has ever been without a paycheck. Never.  He doesn’t understand yet or care about the true plight of the working people in Illinois.”

The union accused the university of hiring so-called “strike-breakers” — something ISU has declined comment on, with AFSCME alleging the university broke state law.  When asked if they supported strike-breakers, Pritzker said he doesn’t, and Bailey said, “There’s no reason why anyone should be having a strike,” while pointing out it took three tries at the Scheel’s Sports Park news conference for Pritzker to come to an answer.