Brown University and its food service, plant operations and library workers reached a contract agreement on Wednesday just hours before a midnight strike dedline. After two days of negotiations, the Ivy League school agreed to pay full health insurance premiums for members of Local 134 of the Service Employees International union. ``We feel that we have a great victory here,'' said Karen McAninch, the union's business agent.``The important thing is we got 100 percent Blue Cross coverage for the life of the agreement.'' A three-year contract for the 250 plant and food workers provided a 5.5 percent pay increase in the first year and a 5 percent increase in the remaining two years. The 90 library workers received a two-year contract that gave them a 5.5 percent increase in the first year and a 5 percent raise in the second. The contract was ratified by a show of hands by the plant and food workers and by a 50-21 vote from the library workers, McAninch said. The workers earlier this month authorized a strike for midnight Wednesday, when the contract covering plant and food workers expires. The contract for the library workers expired on Aug. 19. ``Both sides gave substantially in the interest of harmony to get the matter resolved,'' said Robert Reichley, a university spokesman. ``In the long run it may not be the best solution for both sides, but at least it averted a strike.'' On Tuesday, Brown officials offered a higher wage increase, but said they would pay only half the insurance premiums for the first year and 60 percent of following increases. McAninch said the principle of cost shifting was as important as the numbers. ``They knew that we were serious about striking and that we felt very strongly about the issues,'' she said. ``We had a lot of support from Brown University students.''
