Locked-out professors at Fredericton's St. Thomas University have voted in favour of strike action by solid margins, but the school's administration and students are still asking the union to put the latest offer to a membership vote.

In a vote held on Monday, 74 per cent of the university's full-time staff and 69 per cent of its part-time staff voted in favour of a strike.

"Going on strike means that the return to work will not depend on the employer's decision to end the lockout and will ensure additional leverage at the bargaining table," the union told its members in a letter published on its website.

The university locked out faculty members on Dec. 27 after 10 months of negotiations had failed to produce a new contract.

The two sides met with a provincial mediator on Thursday and returned to the negotiating table on Friday. But negotiations halted again early Monday morning so the union could hold its strike vote.

Talks between the two sides are scheduled to resume on Thursday.

The university administration has asked the union to put its last offer to a vote.

According to the university's website, the faculty has been offered a reduced teaching load and a 2.5 per cent raise every year for the next three years.

Student union representatives are also urging their professors to settle the dispute or put the university's offer to the union's membership.

"If this vote is not scheduled it will be proof to the student union that the faculty association have further disregarded the interest of students," said Duncan Gallant, vice-president of education with the student union.

"Our No. 1 priority is to ensure a timely start to classes so that students are not further disadvantaged."

The current offer is fair, Gallant said. It should be put to a vote by Friday to ensure classes can resume by Monday, he said.

"It's a waste of time to ask for a vote on an offer we would recommend the faculty reject," said faculty spokeswoman Dawn Morgan. "We just don't see how that makes any sense, especially when time is of the essence here."

If the university wants a vote on its offer it will have to go to the provincial labour board and put in the request, Morgan said.

Students should also remember that it was the university that declared the lockout, she said.

The faculty at the liberal arts institution is asking for increased wages, more office space and a reduced workload.

The school announced on Monday that it would be pushing the start of classes back even further, from Jan. 10 to Jan. 14.