Supporters will rally Thursday morning, May 10, outside a mediation session scheduled in the week-old strike by 64 Benton County social service workers.

The mediation session is set for 9 a.m. at the Social Services Building on Dewey Street and 6th Avenue in Foley.

The members of AFSCME Local 1243 walked off their jobs May 2 in a dispute over wages, said Char Brink, staff representative for AFSCME Council 65.

"We have been in negotiations for almost 17 months to get a first contract" for the group, she said. "It's been a long process." All issues except wages have been settled, she noted.

"These workers earn between 6 and 11 percent less than social service workers in the surrounding counties," Brink said. The union is seeking a 5 percent wage increase in the first year of the contract and a 4 percent increase in the second, she said. The county is offering 3 percent each year.

The social service workers perform a variety of important functions in Benton County. They are involved in social work, child protection, family services, screenings for long-term care, the WIC nutrition program, immunizations, blood checks and financial services, among other tasks.