Acadia University Faculty Association submitted its application for certification of a new bargaining unit last month. The proposed unit includes all contract academic staff members providing instruction in credit courses, including courses taught by distance education.

Dianne Looker, AUFA's president, said the association signed up almost 100 contract faculty members during a three-month card signing campaign.

AUFA applied for certification April 9 and a vote of the contract academic staff was held April 12. The ballots have been sealed and will be counted once the Nova Scotia Labour Relations Board determines the composition of the bargaining unit and the list of eligible voters.

Looker is confident that a significant majority of those who voted support unionization. "We expect that once we resolve our dispute with the university over who should be on the list, we'll win the vote and be granted a certificate," she said.