‘I don’t see this agreement falling through’

Acadia and faculty union reach tentative agreement, avoid strike

Acadia University will not see a strike because its board of governors and faculty union have reached a tentative agreement on a new contract.

The Acadia University Faculty Association had announced a

weeks ago after 81.6 per cent of its members voted to strike after negotiations stalled on points including childcare services, fulltime faculty positions and pay equity.

The details of this latest agreement had not been released as of press time. Both the university and AUFA have publicly voiced their relief the strike has been avoided.

“I think both sides are extremely relieved to have reached an agreement,” said AUFA spokeswoman Rachel Brickner.

AUFA feels confident deal will stand

Brickner was not present for the final talks, but confirmed they were very long, beginning midmorning Sunday and ending Monday morning just before 6 a.m.

She said Acadia’s campus is quiet and both sides are relieved to have avoided the strike.

“It’s something we would have carried out only if necessary,” she said.

Dr. Jeff Banks, speaking for the board of governors, said both sides were hugging at the end of the talks once an agreement was reached.

“We were able to stick to our goal of an affordable agreement – I suppose it was the board of governors’ goal, but I’d like to think it was everybody’s,” he said.

Neither AUFA nor the board of governors are worried the tentative agreement will fall.

She also said the private tentative agreement could be made public over the next two weeks.

“I think ultimately both sides realized in order to get a deal and avoid the strike they needed to work through the bunch of proposals,” she said.

“I think both sides are extremely relieved to have reached an agreement.”

- AUFA spokeswoman Rachel Brickner.