Dalhousie Faculty Association ratifies collective agreement, return-to-work protocol

The union representing nearly 1,000 Dalhousie University professors and other teaching staff has voted to accept a new collective agreement, bringing an end to

The Dalhousie Faculty Association (DFA) has voted to accept the collective agreement and return-to-work protocol that was presented Wednesday, ending a month-long lockout.

Ninety-five point seven per cent of members who voted were in favour of ratification.

Of the 989 members eligible to vote, 939 participated, of which 899 of them voted “yes.”

“The Board has also ratified the agreement and return-to-work protocol. This brings an end the labour disruption,” a release from the DFA reads.

DFA president David Westwood said the union members remained strong and unified throughout the lockout.

“Thanks to their resolve, and the outstanding support of our student body, other faculty associations and local unions, we were able to ratify what we feel is a strong collective agreement. We didn’t get everything we wanted – that’s to be expected – but we made significant gains in a number of areas important to our members,” he continued.

The three-year deal includes:

• salary increases of 3.25 per cent, 3.25 per cent and 3.5 per cent for a total of 10 per cent over the life of the contract
• a total of 16 positions that have been limited term for six years or longer will be converted to tenure stream/career stream positions
• salary adjustments of between $1,500 and $5,000 for early career faculty who join Dalhousie at a rank other than full professor
• each faculty will develop workload policies to ensure a more fair and equitable distribution of workload
• parental leave top-up increased from 14 to 35 weeks (total combined pregnancy leave top-up and parental leave top-up will be 52 weeks)
• Five days of paid leave for Indigenous faculty to observe cultural or traditional days of importance

Almost 1,000 faculty members who have been locked out since Aug. 20 will return to work Thursday.

Classes will begin on Tuesday.

The tuition fee deadline date and the last day to add or drop classes has been moved to Oct. 7. The honours application date has been moved to Oct. 22.

“Decisions regarding the fall break and December exam schedule need to be approved by Senate, which is scheduled to meet on Monday,” a news release from the university reads. “Any changes will be communicated as soon as possible to all students, faculty, and staff.”

With files from CTV Atlantic’s Natalie Lombard

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