Council 94 to tally member votes

NORTH PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) - Rhode Island's largest state employees' union will soon know whether its members have accepted a deal that would cut pay but save jobs.

Members of Council 94 spent the past week voting on the plan. Their ballots will be tallied Tuesday afternoon at the union's headquarters in North Providence.

Gov. Don Carcieri negotiated the terms with state unions to help close a $68 million budget shortfall.

It would require state workers to lose 12 days of pay and delay a scheduled 3 percent pay raise. In return, workers would get extra vacation time and could claim some lost pay when they leave their jobs or retire.

Carcieri says he will lay off workers from unions that don't ratify the agreement.