The Chair of the Essex County Library Board is relieved contract talks are set to resume.
Richard Meloche says he's hopeful an agreement can be reached when the two sides return to the bargaining table Wednesday morning.
This past weekend, CUPE Local 2974, the union representing the striking library workers, called the library board back to the table and the board accepted.
Meloche says he's looking forward to hearing what the union has to offer.
"It's just nice to see that we've been asked to come back to the table. We're hoping that the union understands we need to have a third party insurer and we've made that clear all along. They've told us that they want to get back together, so we are expecting that we can make some kind of settlement."
He says he's remaining cautiously optimistic.
"You've got to feel positive every time you get back to the table. So as long as they understand we made a final offer back in December. We've got to stick with where we're at. We've got some minor adjustments that we could probably make, but until we sit down at the table and discuss those minor adjustments we're not sure where it's going."
But, Meloche says he's got his fingers crossed for a positive outcome.
"Hoping that we walk away Wednesday afternoon or Wednesday evening or early Thursday morning, whatever it takes to get some kind of an agreement so that we can walk away from this and call it ended."
The 58 full-time and part-time library workers have been off the job for 228 days with the main sticking point being third party coverage for short-term disability.
All 14 county library branches have been closed since June 25 of last year.