VICTORIA - Members of the British Columbia Crown Counsel Association voted 86 per cent in favour of a new 12-year agreement, Finance Minister Carole Taylor announced today.

"We congratulate the negotiators on both sides of the table for their creativity and dedication in reaching this successful outcome," Taylor said. "It continues and builds on the success we've seen right across the public sector, with very strong ratifications of agreements reached under B.C.'s negotiating framework."

The agreement covers some 420 Crown prosecutors in about 44 offices throughout British Columbia.

"I commend the negotiators from both sides who worked very hard to reach this agreement," said Attorney General Wally Oppal. "It provides important long-term stability that will help us continue to strengthen the Province's justice system."

The agreement includes provisions for a share of the $1-billion incentive payment for agreements reached before they expire. The agreement also provides for a share of the $300-million dividend payment in the final year if the Province meets its surplus target in 2010.

To date, 164 agreements covering approximately 98 per cent of public sector employees have been reached under the Province's negotiating framework. In the great majority of cases, employees voted by more than 90 per cent in favour of accepting the contracts.

Five contracts that have yet to expire, covering approximately 6,000 employees, must still be negotiated. These remaining contracts expire between May 2007 and March 2009.