TORONTO - The provincial government says it has reached a tentative contract agreement with the union representing workers at correctional institutions.

The province says in a release the three-year agreement with OPSEU will not add to government expenditures as it battles to balance its books.

Details of the tentative deal have not been released.

It must be ratified by the union and the government.

The agreement covers 5,500 employees in provincial jails, correctional facilities, youth centres and probation and parole offices.

They include correctional officers, youth services officers and probation and parole officers.