STRATTON, Ohio -- By a vote of 202 to 75, union utility workers at the Sammis power plant in Stratton have accepted a new contract offer from FirstEnergy.

Union president Dennis Waldron told NEWS9 the results of the vote speak for themselves.

Earlier in the day, Waldron told NEWS9 the third contract offer was different from two previous offers union members had rejected.

Waldron said the third offer did not allow FirstEnergy to change the shares of the cost of employee health care.

Had union members rejected the third offer, they would have walked off the job and begun picketing at 11 Thursday night.

FirstEnergy officials told NEWS9 they had a contingency plan in place to continue making electricity at the Stratton plant.

The contract covers employees for the next three years.

NEWS9