Striking workers at Dalhousie University are set to return to work Monday after the union representing part-time academics, teaching assistants, markers and demonstrators reached an agreement with the school.
Those workers have been on strike since Oct. 19, with low wages as the main point of contention. The strike meant the cancellation of lectures, tutorials and labs held by union members, and assignments and exams not being marked.
In a tweet Saturday, CUPE 3912 said 77.8 per cent of members voted to ratify the new collective agreement.
The agreement includes a 23.3 per cent raise for part-time academics, a 23.1 per cent raise for- teaching assistants, and a 44.5 per cent raise for demonstrators and markers by September 2023.
Negotiators from both parties had reached a tentative agreement on Nov. 8.
In a news release Saturday, CUPE 3912 president Cameron Ells said the wage increases “will make a real, positive change in (the workers’) lives.”
“We have goals that have not yet been achieved and there is more work to be done. Now we begin preparations and planning in support of our next round of negotiations,” he said.
In a statement, Dalhousie University spokesperson Janet Bryson said “CUPE members are now able to return to their important and valued work in support of our students and academic community.”
A memo to the Dalhousie community from president and vice-chancellor Deep Saini thanked members of both negotiating teams.
“The past few weeks have shown just how much our Dal community relies on the work of our CUPE members to deliver the exceptional academic experiences that our students expect of us,” the memo read.
“My hope is that all of us — Board, Union, administration and employees alike — will keep that in mind as we take this moment to reflect, seek to better understand one another, and continue to work together towards our shared goal of a stronger Dalhousie for all who work and study here.”
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