Village Voice workers voted unanimously today to strike following 13 hours of failed contract negotiations with management.

Workers, members of Local 2110-UAW, will meet Tuesday night to vote on a date to strike.

Twenty-eight workers saw their original contract expire at midnight Monday after the bargaining committee was not able to come to a new agreement with management over wages, healthcare and working conditions. Management is insisting on give backs.

"They're [management] trying to weaken the contact as much as possible, and to test the union, and worker's resolve," said Eden Shulz, Secretary-Treasurer of Local 2110-UAW.

At stake is a union contract with good benefits acquired over years of negotiations that included severance, health care coverage, childcare, and often negotiated as a trade-off for low wages.

An average Village Voice salary is $45,000 with workers currently not contributing to their healthcare premium. Voice Media Group Management is proposing single employees start contributing $200 per month, and persons with children $740 a month.

During negotiations, management was asked how much money they would save with employee contributions, and membership were shocked when they were told it was just under $8,500 total.

Local 2110's Schulz says to add insult to injury management offered raises of $30 to $35 a week — barely a cost of living increase. In past negotiations workers forfeited employer contributions to their employee 401K accounts but the company has admiited they are profitable.