Negotiators for the union workers at Sunnyview Nursing and Rehabilitation Center have reached a tentative agreement on a new contract with Butler County officials. The workers are to vote on the proposal Wednesday. County Commissioner Dale Pinkerton, board chairman, said there was progress made at this past Wednesday's negotiation, which lasted nearly 10 hours. "We have a tentative agreement," he said. Pinkerton said both sides came to a consensus on salary and other issues. "I think both sides were interested in solving it," he said. Bonnie Gould, union steward, hopes the workers accept the offer. "I'm cautiously optimistic," Gould said. While neither side would discuss details, broad terms of the proposed contract were released. "It's a 1-year contract with a pay increase," Gould said. She confirmed there is a provision for an employee contribution toward health care benefits in the form of a 1.5 percent paycheck deduction. The roughly 200 Sunnyview workers have been working under the terms of a contract that expired Nov. 30, 2008. Commissioner Jim Lokhaiser said the offer is fair to workers. "I hope it works out," he said about this coming Wednesday's vote. Commissioner James Kennedy agreed. "That's what we've been hoping all along," Kennedy said about the last year of negotiations.
