Dalhousie University’s unprecedented lockout of nearly 1,000 faculty, librarians, counsellors and instructors ended on September 16 after the Dalhousie Faculty Association (DFA) and the administration reached a tentative deal.
The union secured several gains, including:
- Salary increases of 3.25%, 3.25% and 3.5% for the next three years
- Conversion of 16 limited-term positions to tenure/career stream
- $1,500 to $5,000 salary adjustments for new hires below the full professor rank
Throughout the lockout, the administration pushed for binding arbitration, which could have forced the DFA to abandon key demands. The union rejected the proposal and filed a complaint with the Nova Scotia Labour Board, accusing Dalhousie of bargaining in bad faith.
The administration’s approach was “uncharacteristically aggressive” as it was unwilling to engage meaningfully at the bargaining table, said DFA president David Westwood.
In response, DFA members mobilized swiftly to defend collective bargaining. Support poured in from academic staff across the country, with CAUT president Robin Whitaker and representatives from the CAUT Defence Fund joining picket lines in Halifax and Truro.
Students rallied behind the association and the Dalhousie Student Union formally endorsed the DFA’s position.
