LOWER LAKE, Calif. – The union representing Lake County's transit workers has reached a tentative employee contract agreement with the company that operates the county's transit contract.

Teamsters Local 624 and Paratransit Services went back to the table on Wednesday at the request of a federal mediator, and the two sides reported that an initial agreement on a three-year contract resulted.

Paratransit Services operates the county's public transportation services for Lake Transit Authority.

Concerns had arisen over the past month that a strike might result if the two sides couldn't settle a contract, potentially affecting thousands of riders and the 35 workers represented by the union, as Lake County News has reported.

A statement from Randy Grove, Paratransit Services' director of operations and human resources, said the negotiations had focused on wages and working conditions for employees.

Ralph Miranda, the union spokesman in the matter, said an agreement had been reached by about 2 p.m. Wednesday. That was about four hours after the meeting started.

“The successful conclusion of these negotiations reaffirms the track record of commitment both parties have demonstrated in working together in continuing to provide safe, efficient, rider-friendly transportation services for the citizens of Lake County,” Grove's statement said.

Miranda said both sides agreed to hold off on releasing the specific terms of the agreement until the union's membership has a chance to vote on it on Sept. 12.

However, he said many of the details resemble those that were included in the discussions the two sides had on Aug. 12. As previously reported, those talks included Paratransit's offer of a 1-percent wage increase across the board and a three-year package including wage increases of between 10 and 18 percent.

“I'm very confident it's going to be ratified,” Miranda said.

He credited the work of federal mediator David Weinberg with being instrumental in bringing the contract discussions to a successful conclusion.

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