The Milwaukee County Transit System (MCTS) and the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 998 have reached a new three-year labor agreement.

MCTS announced the agreement Friday night. Michael Brown, ATU 998 Vice President, confirmed the union had ratified the contract, with 72% of members voting in favor.

The new three-year contract comes after more than nine months of negotiating. In July, ATU membership rejected a one-year contract offer from MCTS. In August, both parties extended negotiations in hopes of reaching a deal.

The union gave ATU 998 President Bruce Freeman the authority to call a strike in July. The move came in the wake of the surprise announcement that MCTS was running a $10.9 million budget deficit.