CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WAND) — Champaign County workers officially voted to ratify a new union contract on Saturday.

The workers represented by the AFSCME Local 900 union struck a tentative agreement with the county on Tuesday, just a day before their Wednesday morning strike deadline.

94% of votes were in favor of ratifying the agreement.

The union says the minimum wage for full-time employees will increase from less than $16 an hour to $18 an hour.

Other benefits include lowered health insurance premiums and free rabies vaccines for Animal Control employees. 

"By sticking together and showing we'd do whatever was necessary — even strike — to get a fair contract, we made real progress and won real gains," AFSCME Local 900 President Cece Phillips said. "We're all happy and relieved, but most of all we're proud, because we did this by standing together."

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