A tentative deal has been reached between the County of Lambton and the union representing around 40 library and art gallery workers in Sarnia.
The county announced early Thursday evening that it had reached the agreement on a new collective agreement with members of Unifor Local 65, avoiding strike action.
The details of the agreement are being withheld until the deal has been ratified. The date of the ratification vote has not been announced.
The workers’ last contract expired December 31, 2016.
In August, workers voted to give the union the ability to call a strike if necessary, and a strike deadline was set for September 11 at 12:01am. A mediator failed to get the two sides to agree to terms, and a final bargaining date was set for Thursday.
A strike would have closed the Judith and Norman Alix Art Gallery, which just opened the renowned “Witness: Canadian Art of the First World War” exhibit last Friday. The strike would have also shut down the downtown Sarnia Library.