SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Illinois’ largest public-employee union is set to announce the result of a strike-authorization vote.

The state council of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees scheduled a news conference for Thursday morning.

The union has been unable to agree with Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner’s administration on a contract to replace one that expired in June 2015.

Employees at work sites across the state voted from Jan. 30 through Sunday. They were asked whether to give the union’s executive committee power to call a strike if necessary.

It’s the first such vote in 40 years of state-employee collective bargaining.

A state labor regulator declared last fall that talks had reached “impasse.” That allows Rauner to implement the employment terms he prefers and the union to strike if it chooses.

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