DFA Ratifies Collective Agreement and Return-to-Work Protocol

(September 17, 2025 - Halifax, NS) – The DFA membership has voted to accept the collective agreement and return-to-work protocol presented on September 16, 2025.

An overwhelming 95.7% of those who voted in favour of ratification. A total of 989 members were eligible to vote, and we had a participation rate of 94.9% (939 members voted; 899 of them said “yes”). The Board has also ratified the agreement and return-to-work protocol. This brings an end the labour disruption.

“Our membership was strong and unified throughout this entire ordeal,” said DFA President David Westwood. “Thanks to their resolve, and the outstanding support of our student body, other faculty associations and local unions, we were able to ratify what we feel is a strong collective agreement. We didn’t get everything we wanted – that’s to be expected – but we made significant gains in a number of areas important to our members.”

Highlights of the three-year deal include :

• salary increases of 3.25%, 3.25% and 3.5% for a total of 10% over the life of the contract;
• a total of 16 positions that have been limited-term for 6 years or longer will be converted to tenure stream/career stream positions;
• salary adjustments of between $1,500 and $5,000 for early career faculty who join Dalhousie at a rank other than full Professor;
• each Faculty will develop workload policies to ensure a more fair and equitable distribution of workload;
• parental leave top-up increased from 14 to 35 weeks (total combined pregnancy leave top-up and parental leave top-up will be 52 weeks);
• 5 days of paid leave for Indigenous faculty to observe cultural or traditional days of importance

Almost 1000 faculty members who had been locked out since August 20 return to work on Thursday, September 18. Classes will begin on Tuesday, September 23.