A whole week of buildup and positioning and raising a "strike fund" and threats and etc. were all for naught; the Village Voice and its union came to terms just two hours before their deadline last night, averting a strike.

After some back and forth they came to an agreement on health care benefits, and that was that. Let's flash back to what Voice editor Tony Ortega told us two days ago: "Every three years we negotiate a new contract with the union. Every three years, the union authorizes a strike vote. And every three years, our negotiations go back and forth until a new agreement is made, usually late on the night of June 30. It's just how this works."

And there you have it. See you guys in three years.

[Photo: Stan/ Flickr]