Pritzker, AFSCME reach first contract agreement in 4 years

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) - Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and the state's largest public-sector union have put four years of rancor behind and announced a tentative contract agreement.

The American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Council 31 and the Democratic governor said they reached a deal early Friday.

Officials said details would not be released until the union's 40,000 members vote on ratifying.

The deal represents the first labor agreement between AFSCME and the government since the last once expired in June 2015. Then-Gov. Bruce Rauner feuded with the union. The Republican's administration stopped negotiating in 2017 and declared the two sides were at "impasse." That means that the administration could impose its terms and the union could call a strike.

Pritzker took office in January and announced he would return to bargaining.