New London – The two unions that represent Lawrence & Memorial Hospital's 700 nurses and technicians overwhelmingly approved a new contract agreement during a vote today.

Eric Bailey, a spokesman for Locals 5049 and 5051 of the AFT, said nurses voted by a ratio of 10 to 1 in favor of the contract, and technicians voted by a ratio of 16 to 1 in favor. He said the union does not list final vote totals as policy.

The hospital and the unions reached a tentative agreement late Thursday. If no agreement had been reached, the two sides would have had a final negotiation session today and if no resolution was brokered, the union would have gone on strike this evening.