Thank you to Dr. Fabrice Colin, President of Laurentian University Faculty Association, for joining us to speak about the 2021 insolvency claim by Laurentian and the two years of chaos that followed. Dr. Colin's presentation provides a sobering look at the layoffs, program closures and brutal treatment of faculty and staff during the first-ever insolvency claim by a Canadian university.  This presentation was the DFA's 2023 Dr. Robert S. Rodger Lecture Series. The recording of Dr. Fabrice Colin's presentation can be found here. Recordings of this lecture and others held by the DFA can be found at www.WeAreDal.ca

In recognition of African Heritage Month, DFA hosted a zoom presentation by Dr. Isaac Saney, Building Black Canadian Studies: Dalhousie's Contribution.  A recording of Dr. Saney's information-packed, fast-moving and passionate presentation can be found here.  Dr. Saney is the director of Dalhousie's Transition Year Program. He holds a PhD in history from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London in the United Kingdom. His teaching and scholarship encompass Africa, the Caribbean, Cuba, Black Canadian history and the U.S. Civil Rights Movement. He chairs Dalhousie's committee developing what will be Canada's first major in Black and African Diaspora Studies. He is also an Adjunct Professor in history at Saint Mary’s University.  

The DFA Membership has voted to accept the tentative agreement reached last week with the Dalhousie Board of Governors.

"Last week, both sides came to the table ready to work with the conciliator and we are pleased with the resulting agreement,” said DFA President David Westwood. “While no side ever gets everything they are looking for, this is an agreement that our Executive and our membership can stand behind. 

A total of 773 members had their say in the ratification vote which took place Thursday and Friday this week.  This represents 77% of our total membership.  Of those who voted, 93.7% voted to accept the deal.

Before the tentative agreement can be considered a new collective agreement, the Dalhousie Board of Governors must also vote to accept the deal.  If that happens, the tentative agreement will form the new collective agreement and will be effective retroactively to July 1, 2022.

The current collective agreement between the DFA and the Dalhousie Board of Governors expired June 30, 2022.  DFA filed notice to bargain on April 1, 2022.  Bargaining began September 29 and after nine meetings, the teams were unable to reach an agreement.  The DFA filed for conciliation on November 9, and its members delivered a strike mandate of over 92% in mid-December.  Conciliation took place January 4 and 5 with provincially-appointed conciliation officer Peter Lloyd. 

DFA’s Bargaining Bulletins can be found here.