By a margin of 96-to-4, members of Illinois' largest public employees' union voted to ratify a new contract with the state.
AFSCME and Governor Pat Quinn's administration reached a deal in late February, but in order for it to take effect, a majority of the union's 35,000 members had to agree to it.
AFSCME spokesman Anders Lindall says the negotiations may have been the toughest the union has ever experienced.
