FAIRBANKS -- A labor agreement that would have provided retroactive pay increases has been rejected by the Fairbanks North Star Borough Assembly.

The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner says the Assembly on Thursday night rejected the contract. It would have provided more than $500,000 in retroactive pay increases to restore a last-minute pay freeze the assembly made in 2011.

It also would have included automatic cost-of-living adjustments and longevity bonuses throughout the next three years.

Much of the opposition from the public focused on retroactive pay increases. The five assembly members who voted against the contract pointed to it during their discussion.

The contract covered 56 of the borough's highly paid and highly trained administrative employees.

The union is expected to go back to the negotiating table.