Dalhousie Faculty Association holds fourth rally as lockout continues

The Dalhousie Faculty Association held a rally on Friday as a lockout stretches past the three-week mark.

The Dalhousie Faculty Association held its fourth rally on Friday as a lockout continues despite a new offer from the university earlier this week.

The Association, which represents nearly 1,000 professors, librarians, counsellors and instructors, held a march and rally from the Killam Library to the university’s quad at 11 a.m. on Friday.

“This was not our choice. We wanted to be back in the classroom, but we’ve been locked out by our administration,” said Jason Haslam, member-at-large with the Association. “We decided to have this march to bring our alliance together to march down University Avenue and to show the administration that we are Dalhousie.”

The university locked out the union on Aug. 20 following months of negotiations to strike a new collective agreement. The Association’s previous three-year deal expired at the end of June.

Earlier this week, the university’s board of governors sent a new offer to the union’s leadership which, according to president Kim Brooks, represented an increase over their previous proposal of a six per cent wage raise over three years.

The Association said it shared the offer with its members and held two meetings on Thursday to update them on the bargaining process.

The union is seeking a 14.25 per cent wage increase over three years, along with expanded parental leave benefits and expanded access to child care.

Both parties met on Monday and Tuesday at the request of a provincially-appointed conciliator, although no future meetings have been scheduled at this time.

Paused semester

Dalhousie’s fall semester officially began on Sept. 2, but all courses taught by Association members have been suspended due to the lockout. The university has said the tuition and fee deadline will be extended, along with the honours application deadline.

The fall break in November, as well as the December study days and exam schedule, may also be adjusted due to the lockout.

Even if a deal is made, the Association says members would need at least 10 days to get classes and laboratories ready.

On Wednesday the Dalhousie Student Union held a rally calling for tuition refunds in light of the lockout.

“This is a situation where everybody suffers,” said graduate student Shannon Brown. “Students are suffering and faculty are suffering.”

-With files from CTV News Atlantic’s Hafsa Arif

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