Acadia strike over, classes to resume

Faculty and school librarians at Acadia University voted 92 per cent in favour of a new contractTuesday, ending a three-week-old strike.

The faculty association announced the results in a brief statement Tuesday evening. Details of the contract were not released.

Classes are expected to resumeThursday and the university's senate will meet Wednesday to decide whether to extend the length of classes or to reschedule exams.

Faculty association spokesman Andrew Biro said the strike caused anxiety and frustration.

"But I think in the end we came out of this with a very good result, a contract that will preserve the quality of education at Acadia which, ultimately, means preserving the integrity of their degree," said Biro.

"So in the long run, I think this is a very good result for everybody."

Negotiatorsfor the faculty association had recommendedmembers accept the contract agreement, reached Sunday after a marathon bargaining session with a mediator.

Scott Roberts, a university spokesman, said mediation helped the two sides begin to focus on working together to attract and keep students.

"Student recruitment is absolutely a priority for both faculty and administration, as well as retention of current students.There was a level of understanding that grew out of this, andI think it was very positive," Roberts said.

Classes at the school, in Nova Scotia's Annapolis Valley, have been cancelled since Oct. 15, when 300 faculty members walked off the job in a dispute over wages and benefits.