Student Updates

Update 1 - July 10, 2025

This is Part 1 of our Student Update, providing key information about the contract  negotiations happening between Dalhousie Faculty Association (DFA) and the Dalhousie Board  of Governors. Part 2 will be available in the coming weeks and is designed for those students  wondering about the issues at the heart of this round of collective bargaining.  

The Dalhousie Faculty Association (DFA) is the collective bargaining agent for  almost 1000 faculty members at Dalhousie, including professors, instructors,  librarians and counsellors. 

2025 Collective Bargaining  

The DFA and the Dalhousie Board of Governors began negotiations on May 26, 2025. On June 2,  after only a few days of bargaining, the Dalhousie Board unexpectedly filed for conciliation. The  DFA contested the filing, saying it was too early in the process and full discussions on many  proposals had not yet taken place. The Minister of Labour agreed to wait until the DFA  Bargaining Team and the Board’s team met one last time on Friday, June 20, 2025.  

On June 23, the Labour Board appointed Mr. Rick Rose as the conciliation officer. Conciliation begins July 9. Outstanding issues will be discussed during conciliation and we are unable to  share details at this time. You have undoubtedly read much of the Board’s narrative about the  financial situation they are in. Like most post-secondary institutions across Canada, Dalhousie  is facing financial challenges that are created by several external factors beyond our direct  control. In bargaining, the DFA has asked the Board to walk us through their current financial  situation so that we can be certain that we understand exactly what these impacts look like  today and in the near future. Several aspects of the operating budget remain mysterious and  we await further explanation and clarification. 

The DFA has conducted external reviews of Dalhousie’s Financial Statements for many years.  The Board has a long-standing history of moving substantial funds out of the operating budget  and into capital projects. Between 2003 and 2021, for example, Dalhousie’s audited financial  statements show a cumulative operating surplus of more than $464M. 

Even if Dalhousie’s revenues are down as much as we are being told, there is plenty of money  available to fund adequate cost-of-living adjustments for all Dalhousie employees, including  professors, instructors, librarians and counsellors. 

The Conciliation Process  

As is typical in bargaining, the conciliator meets with both sides to try and reach agreement. If an agreement cannot be reached, the conciliator files a “no board report” with the Minister  of Labour, which triggers a 14-day countdown.  

At the end of that 14-day period, job action can begin, which means the Dalhousie  Administration could lock out DFA faculty members, or the DFA could go on strike. 

Questions You May Have  

Are faculty members going to strike? And if so, when would it happen?  

From June 23 to July 4, the DFA held a strike vote. Over 85% of DFA members voted, and over  91% of those voting supported going on strike if necessary. This does not mean that  there will be a strike, but rather that the faculty is prepared to go on strike if no agreement is  reached during conciliation.  

The DFA Bargaining Team and leadership are committed to reaching a settlement without job  action. We will continue bargaining in good faith and do our best to secure a fair agreement for our members without job action which causes unwanted disruption for faculty and  students, alike. 

That said, at this point, the earliest you might expect job action (lock-out initiated by the  Board of Governors, or strike initiated by the DFA) is mid-late August, which would allow the  month of July for conciliation followed by the required 14 day-countdown period.  

If there is a strike, how long will it last?  

There is no way to predict how long a strike would last. In the 47-year history of the DFA,  there have been four strikes: 1985, 1988, 1998 and 2002. They ranged in length from one day  (1985) to almost four weeks (2002). In the post-secondary sector in Canada, the average  length of a strike is three weeks. It is important to note that DFA and the Board reached  agreement in conciliation in 2012, 2017, 2020 and 2022.  

What activities would be interrupted?  

Job action (strike or lock-out) will interrupt specific activities including: in person classes, online classes, access to course materials, tests, grading, and communication with students on academic matters. These activities will all be interrupted. 

Senate will be suspended.

Supervision of research students (both undergraduate and graduate) will be paused. Thesis defences, other presentations, and access to librarians will stop. There will be reduced access  to some counseling services.  

Internships and practica might be disrupted depending on the specific details and supervisory responsibilities.  

This will happen at all campuses.  

The Administration may communicate to you additional programs and services that will be  affected by job action. 

There will be physical pickets around campuses, so to get to the campus you may have to  cross the picket line. Our faculty members will not prevent you from doing so. There will also  be a significant social media presence, with posts and messaging related to the strike. 

How can students keep their studies moving forward?  

In the event that a strike occurs this summer, many of you will not be in class. The best thing  you can do is monitor the progress of the strike by checking our social media platforms and our website https://wearedal.ca 

If you are taking classes during the summer, we suggest that you treat the temporary cessation of classes like a “working study break” and continue reading, studying, learning,  writing papers, etc.  

Many course instructors will provide specific examples of what to focus on prior to a strike. Because your workload may be more intense than normal after classes resume, stay current or ahead in your courses; at the end of a strike, faculty would try to work out a revised completion of courses that is fair and reasonable.  

Finally, although we cannot predict exactly how long a strike would last, we fully expect that you would have an opportunity to complete your courses. Both the DFA and the Dalhousie Administration have every motivation to make this possible. 

Regular updates will be provided via X, Instagram and Facebook (@dalfacultyassoc), on Bluesky @dalfaculty.bsky.social and posted to the DFA website in the Student Info tab.

Update 2 - July 25, 2025

This second update provides students with key information about the contract negotiations  happening between Dalhousie Faculty Association (DFA) and the Dalhousie Board of Governors. This gives an overview of the issues at the heart of this round of collective bargaining. 

DFA wants to continue bargaining, but Dalhousie Board of Governors has so far not accepted our invitation to come back to the table. If you have concerns about how this situation will affect the fall term, please contact:  

  • Vice-Provost Student Affairs
    • Dr. Rick Ezekiel 
    • rick.ezekiel@dal.ca
    • 902-494-8021 
  • Assistant Vice-Provost Student Engagement and Success

Bargaining Highlights  

As explained in Student Update Part 1, the DFA and the Dalhousie Board of Governors (the Board)  began negotiations on May 26, 2025. On June 2, after only a few days of bargaining, the Board filed for  conciliation. The DFA contested the filing, saying it was premature and full discussions on many  proposals had not yet taken place. The Minister of Labour agreed to wait until the DFA Bargaining  Team and the Board’s team met one last time on June 20.  

On June 23, the Labour Board appointed a conciliation officer and conciliation meetings were held  July 9, July 15 and July 16. Midway through the July 16 session, the Board presented a 'best and final  offer' and withdrew from further discussions, leaving several outstanding matters unresolved, despite  progress being made. 

As is typical in bargaining, the conciliator meets with both sides to try and reach agreement. If an  agreement cannot be reached, the conciliator files a “no board report” with the Minister of Labour,  which triggers a 14-day countdown. At the end of that 14-day period, the employer could lock out  employees or the union could go on strike.  

In DFA’s case, the conciliator is scheduled to file a “no board report” on July 28, which means the Board could lock out faculty members at midnight on Monday, August 11 at the earliest. We are concerned  that the Board's procedural choices and rapid escalation signal a lockout strategy. The DFA will not  initiate a strike in August.  

The Main Issues  

Typically, in conciliation, the two sides discuss the few remaining items not agreed to in bargaining.  We were making progress in several areas including moving expenses, Indigenous ceremonial leave  and some workload proposals. However, because the Board filed for conciliation prematurely, and  walked away from conciliation while DFA was still ready to bargain, these items and many others are  still on the table.  

Salary  

The DFA is currently proposing a salary increase (also known as the Income Maintenance Change, or  IMC) of: 7% in the first year; 4% in the second and 4% in the third. We moved from our initial  proposal of 9%, 6% and 6%. The Board is offering 2% in each year, up only .25% a year from their  original offer before conciliation. 

It is important to note that the Board’s salary offer is tied to a major change in the 90-10 Clause (see p. 3) that would allow the Board to employ more sessional instructors to replace work normally  done by DFA Members. They are not offering a conditions-free cost-of-living adjustment. The Board’s proposal of an increase close to the expected level of inflation depends on accepting a  dramatic change to the academic staffing at the institution. This change would affect DFA members who could lose their jobs, and it would impact the student experience, as more sessional (part time)  instructors will be teaching your courses. 

For the past year, the Board has talked about the grave financial situation facing Dalhousie. The DFA has asked the Board on several occasions to help us understand the financial situation and its  impact on operations. Despite our requests, we have not received adequate explanation and we are  concerned with the apparent lack of a plan to ensure the integrity of the academic programs at  Dalhousie. Several aspects of the operating budget lack transparency or detailed explanation. 

The Board has a long history of moving substantial funds out of the operating budget and into  capital projects to fund things like buildings and the new arena. Between 2003 and 2021,  Dalhousie’s financial statements show a cumulative operating surplus of more than $464M, yet they  are now somehow facing a significant deficit that they are using to implement extreme operational  cutbacks. Dalhousie's historical surpluses and discretionary capital expenditures suggest sufficient  flexibility to fund cost-of-living adjustments for academic staff.  

Over the past three Collective Agreements, the salary increases negotiated with the Board have fallen  short of inflation. As a result, DFA Members have in essence, incurred a wage cut of almost 9% in real  terms over the past decade. 

For five years the Board offered salary increases below 2% (the normal expected level of inflation). Then, in the years when the Board agreed to raises above 2%, inflation was much higher than expected  (e.g., up to 7.53% in 2022). In this 2025 round of bargaining, salary increases must make up for the 9%  accumulated wage cut and ensure that we do not slide further behind the expected increase in cost of  living.  

It is the Board’s responsibility to pay fair wages to the employees who do the critical work of the  institution. Fair wages help us keep pace with the cost of living in Nova Scotia. It is the only way to  continue recruiting top quality faculty.  

The 90-10 Clause  

The 90-10 clause – dating back to 1978 - ensures that no less than 90% of the teaching is done by DFA Members, with a maximum of 10% allocated to non-DFA Members (e.g., CUPE 3912 sessional  instructors and non-unionized instructors). The Board is proposing a change to the 90-10 clause that  would allow them to eliminate up to 76 full-time, tenure/tenure track faculty positions, and and  increase their reliance on precarious, lower-paid academic staff. 

The 90-10 rule protects the integrity and quality of academic work at Dalhousie, and enables the DFA  to protect the working conditions of the majority of academic staff at the institution. It is fundamental  to our purpose and values as a faculty association.  

Librarian Appointments and Workload 

The Board proposes to change the way librarians are appointed, from being appointed to a specific to an appointment to the library system. So, our librarians could be in the Law Library one term, and in  the Health Sciences Library the next; in the MacRae Library in Truro one year and the Killam in Halifax the next. No specialty, no consistency. The Board also proposes to remove provisions for librarian  workload, including overtime. 

Child Care and Parental Leave  

All of the DFA proposals targeted to improve working conditions for less senior faculty with families  remain on the table. To date, the Board has declined to support any of the DFA's proposals in this area, including: improving child care, extending parental leave top-up and academic scheduling to address  caregiver responsibilities.  

Abuse of Limited-Term Appointments (LTAs)  

The Board has not been willing to discuss converting LTAs that have existed for over five years. Some of  our DFA members have been in limited-term positions since as far back as 2008. 

Indigenous Leave  

The Board has not agreed to adequate leave for Indigenous members to engage in days of importance,  traditional, and cultural Indigenous practices, and ceremonies and celebrations.    

Health Spending Account  

Despite a majority of DFA members using the maximum amount of their Health Spending Account, the  Board has not agreed to an increase despite the growing needs of members.  

Retirement Incentive  

The Board has no interest in discussing a retirement incentive program, even though it would save  money in its budget. Paying senior faculty is far more expensive than paying those early in their career.    

Professional Counsellors: Cost of Professional Fees and Workload  

The Board will not discuss covering the costs of professional fees for Professional Counsellors who are  hired to provide important mental health services for students that require them to be licensed.  Additionally, the Board won’t discuss proper hours of work for Professional Counsellors.    

August Disruption Jeopardizes the Fall Term  

A lockout in August causes significant disruption for not only faculty, but for students and their families,  and puts the success of the fall term in jeopardy. Students attending classes over the summer will have  their studies interrupted, move-in dates may be affected, even the decision of whether or not to come  

to Dalhousie or continue your studies at our university could be impacted. Faculty are being forced to  shift their focus from preparing your courses to contingency planning , a consequence of the  unresolved bargaining situation.  

The DFA Bargaining Team remains ready and willing to bargain, and we encourage the Board to come  back to the table.  

We invite students to stay informed and ask questions about how ongoing negotiations may affect  your programs. We are currently working on a FAQ document based on the questions we have heard  from students in recent weeks. Your understanding and engagement are deeply valued. 

To stay up-to-date on our bargaining, please follow us on Bluesky, Instagram, Facebook and X. We will  also post information for students to the DFA website. You are also invited to read our bargaining updates here.