Locked-out Dalhousie University faculty receives support at rally

A rally was held in Halifax Friday for the Dalhousie University faculty that have been locked out.

Community members showed their support Friday as Dalhousie University professors rallied after being locked out earlier this week.

The Halifax university locked out more than 1,000 faculty members Wednesday morning. The members of the Dalhousie Faculty Association (DFA) represent full-time faculty, instructors, librarians and counsellors.

Union representation from the Nova Scotia Government Employees (NSGEU), Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) and other universities were present at Friday’s rally to show support.

The lockout comes after 83 per cent of the DFA members voted to reject the school’s latest contract offer.

More than 93 per cent of its members participated in the vote, which opened on Aug. 14 and closed Thursday afternoon, the DFA said.

The union says the main issues are wages and the university’s reliance on limited-term contracts.

David Westwood, president of the association, previously told CTV News Atlantic the union is looking for a seven per cent wage increase in the first year, followed by four per cent increases in the second and third years.

The current contract expired in June. Faculty members met with the university last month, but the conciliation talks concluded without an agreement.

The university says it has a limited ability to increase faculty salaries.

Dalhousie offered a two per cent increase per year over three years, which was rejected. The university said the decision to lock out its faculty “has not been made lightly.”

While campus remains open during the lockout, classes taught by DFA faculty are suspended.

With files from CTV Atlantic’s Sean Mott and Natalie Lombard

With files from the Canadian Press

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