More than 200 students rallied in Fredericton on Friday to urge St. Thomas University's faculty and administration to settle a labour dispute that has twice delayed the start of classes.

"Twenty-six-hundred of us can't be held hostage by half a dozen people on either side just negotiating and not negotiating," said student union president Colin Banks. "They must return to the table, they must stay at the table and they must make progressive action."

The two sides have been holding ongoing negotiations for two days and are currently in a media blackout.

Classes were originally scheduled to resume on Jan. 3, but the university has twice pushed back the start date. The semester is now scheduled to resume on Jan. 14 but the university has said it will continue to delay classes until an agreement is reached.

The professors were initially locked out by the university on Dec. 27 after 10 months of negotiations failed to produce a new contract.

The faculty then went on strike on Wednesday after its union members voted in favour of the action on Monday.

The rally wasn't about attacking either side of the dispute but supporting students, Banks said.

Students worried about workloads, student loans

Students at the rally told CBC News they are worried their student loans, graduation dates and an increased workload when they return to school.

"We are not in class and a week at university is lot because there is so much work to do," said student Christina Cail. "We are wondering what we are going to do when we go back and the semester will probably be extended. That's not good for people who want to go home or have jobs, so we just want to go back to school."

The students marched around the Fredericton campus with signs reading, "Stop holding me ransom" and "Let's get back to class" as they passed the faculty's picket line.

"I hope both sides know the students don't want to be stuck here doing nothing, just basically twiddling our thumbs," said student Mike Sanderson. "We want to go back to class is what we are saying."

The faculty and the administration should listen to the students' opinion on the labour dispute, said second-year student Matt Belyea. "Without the students there would be no school at all."

Some faculty members joined rally

Political science professor Patrick Malcolmson was among 12 faculty members who joined the students for their march.

"I think the student body feels the grounds for a settlement are there and would like to see it, and I support that," Malcolmson said.

Faculty Association of the University of St. Thomas president Suzanne Dudziak joined the students' march but said it is the responsibility of the school's administration to hear their concerns.

"It was the administration and the board of governors that locked us out," Dudziak said.

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

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.