Essex County Library strike ends, but tension with employer continues

After a long, bitter strike that lasted nearly eight months, Essex County library workers say there's a long way to go in order to repair the relationship with their employer.

• Library workers accept deal from Essex County Library Board

Officials from CUPE2974 say workers and management are likely still bitter after thejob action that seemed to have no end in sight for so many months.

"It was a contentious strike. Nobody came out as a big winner," said Lori Wightman, the union spokeswoman. "I hope we can develop a better relationship with management."

Building trust between both sides will be a challenge, but it will go a long way to repair the relationship, according to Robin Greenall,the Essex County Library CEO.

"It is early days still and I think people are still sort of assessing what happened," she said. "All we can do is look forward and try and figure out what the relationship is going to be and what are we going to do to get us there."