Faculty at Mount Saint Vincent University reached a tentative agreement with the university March 4, following two days in conciliation.

The two sides have agreed on a four-year deal, with 3 per cent salary increases in each year of the contract. In addition, the contract will increase salary floors by margins ranging from $2,000 to $4,500, to be phased in during years two and three. Increments will increase from $1,738 to $2,215 over the next four years.

"Overall, the contract provides total increases averaging almost 20 per cent," said Chris Ferns, chief negotiator for Mount Saint Vincent University Faculty Association.

"The package agreed upon is competitive with the excellent settlements already negotiated elsewhere in the region. If we can continue to make this kind of progress, the so-called 'Maritime Discount' may one day be a thing of the past," Ferns added.

Ferns noted that the structural changes negotiated in the previous agreement proved crucial to arriving at the new settlement. "Without the flexibility that structural change makes possible, attaining your bargaining goals becomes far more difficult," he said.

The tentative agreement, which is set for ratification later this month, also includes improvements in late retirement provisions, increases parental leave for employees by an additional six weeks, to a total of 26 weeks, and institutes language enshrining the principle of progressive discipline.