Roughly 500 Butler County union workers will vote Tuesday on final offers — more than a week after their last contracts expired.

About 200 of the union workers affected by the negotiations work at Sunnyview Nursing and Rehabilitation Center and are represented by SEIU PA Healthcare 1199.

Pam Hook, administrative organizer for the SEIU, said in an interview the salary and health care issues are virtually settled.

The county is offering a 2 percent pay hike and a mandatory 1.5 percent health care contribution deducted from paychecks.

Under the proposal, workers also would pay insurance deductibles and make prescription co-payments.

Hook continues to negotiate with the county on scheduling issues for Sunnyview workers.

County officials maintain employee call-offs are a problem while the union counters Sunnyview is understaffed.

"We have until Tuesday," Hook said about negotiating any unresolved issues.

The remaining 300 county employees, who would be covered under a second contract, work at the government center and courthouse.

Rick Grejda, business agent for SEIU Local 668, and Laurie Kubli, who is the chief union steward for county workers belonging to SEIU 668, couldn't be reached for comment on the unresolved issues for the county workers belonging to that union.

Hook said both groups will vote simultaneously on the county's final offers at a time and site yet to be determined.

She said the union representatives may endorse or oppose approval of the county's offers preceding the votes.

If the employees reject the offers, they could either strike or continue working under the current wages without paying a health care contribution.

Bill O'Donnell, chief county clerk, said about $600,000 will be saved if all full-time employees pay health care contributions.

The county's roughly 100 part-time and seasonal workers aren't covered by the health insurance policy.

The county commissioners already approved the 2 percent salary hike and the 1.5 percent contributions for about 155 nonunion employees who are full-time.

Commissioner Dale Pinkerton, board chairman, said in an interview the county had to set those amounts prior to new agreements being reached for 2009 budget preparations and to meet a deadline set by insurer Highmark.

"We haven't an idea how it's going to come out," he said about Tuesday's votes.

The previous 4-year agreements, which ended Nov. 30, covered most of the 500 union workers. Roughly 40 sheriff's deputies included in these negotiations received their first contract in October 2007, but it also expired Nov. 30.

About 55 of the county's union workers aren't covered by these contract negotiations. They include more than 40 county prison staffers, three county detectives and 12 attorneys in the district attorney's and public defender's offices.

Counting part-time workers, the county employs about 800 people.