The Long Beach Council of Classified Employees ratified a three-year agreement providing significant economic relief and longer holidays for about 425 members.

Pay will increase 3 percent the first year retroactive to this July 1, followed by cost-of-living increases of at least 2.1 percent and 2.35 percent the second and third years.

President Thomas Hamilton said college administrators agreed to add one day of paid winter break the first year of the contract, with a second day added the next year, and two additional days the third year. Hamilton said the new college president personally intervened to help resolve several sticking points.

“Let’s give credit where it’s due,” he said. “Negotiations were a slow process with minimal results since we began in April. After she became involved, we reached a tentative agreement in four meetings over six weeks.”