Dalhousie Faculty Association (DFA) members returned to work on September 18 after being locked out by university administration on August 20.

A tentative agreement was reached on September 16 and has now been ratified by both DFA members and Dalhousie Board of Governors.

Since May, DFA members have been fighting for improvements to workload, job security, childcare support and salaries that reflect the rising cost of living in Nova Scotia. Their efforts drew national solidarity, with academic staff from across Canada joining picket lines in Halifax and Truro.

The lock out gives Dalhousie the dubious distinction of being the first research intensive university in Canada to lock out its faculty, and just two weeks before the start of the fall term. As DFA President David Westwood put it at the time, “This move by the administration is reckless and will damage the reputation of the institution. Faculty members can’t apply for research grants, we have to pause our research, students will be second-guessing their decision to come to Dalhousie. A lockout affects every aspect of the teaching and research that happens at Dalhousie.”

DFA represents close to 1,000 faculty, librarians, counsellors and instructors.