‘Huge relief for students’: Dalhousie University, union reach tentative deal; classes to resume next week

Dalhousie University and a union have struck a tentative agreement after a month-long lockout.

The board of governors for Halifax’s Dalhousie University and the union representing nearly 1,000 faculty members have reached a tentative agreement after a nearly month-long lockout.

The Dalhousie Board of Governors and the Dalhousie Faculty Association (DFA) said in a joint statement early Tuesday morning the agreement is pending ratification.

Bargaining teams returned to the negotiation table on Monday night.

“I’m just delighted that all those emotions I and my colleagues were feeling have been put aside now,” said professor Lorn Sheehan. “We got resolution on a deal that makes sense to us. Our union is recommending that we accept it. From what I heard today, I’m very happy with it and I’m going to accept it.

“I’m very hopeful that we can regain some time.”

Union members will return to work on Thursday, but suspended classes are not scheduled to resume until Sept. 23 as part of “return-to-work protocols.”

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.

“We continue to work through the many other decisions and logistics of returning faculty and students to learning and research. We ask everyone’s patience as these important details come together.”

No other details on the agreement have been released.

The association, which has been without a collective agreement since the end of June, said it was looking for a 14.25 per cent wage increase over three years. The university previously offered a six per cent increase over three years.

The union was also seeking expanded parental leave benefits and expanded access to child care.

Students react

The university locked out association members on Aug. 20. The fall semester started on Sept. 2, but all classes taught by association members were suspended due to the lockout.

Last week the Dalhousie Student Union organized a rally demanding tuition refunds due to the lockout.

“I think it is a huge relief for students,” said student union president Maren Mealey. “A lot of us have been waiting for this news for a long time. We’ve been really hoping for a deal, we’ve been hoping the parties would come together in good faith and it’s exciting to see that that’s happened.”

First-year law student Rose Silivestru believes Dalhousie should still refund tuition for the missed weeks.

“We’re going to lose time in the classroom, we’re going to be under more stress, assignments are going to be shorter intervals,” Silivestru said. “It’s going to be a difficult semester.”

-With files from CTV Atlantic’s Sean Mott and Vanessa Wright

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