Academic staff at the University of Victoria have ratified their first collective agreement.
The University of Victoria Faculty Association announced June 5 that an overwhelming majority of members voted in favor of the five-year agreement.
The deal comes after a tough set of negotiations where the two parties considered themselves far apart before a tentative agreement was reached with the aid of a provincial mediator.
“This agreement is the result of a lot of hard work on the part of the negotiating team and lays the groundwork for important enhancements to our working conditions and to members’ rights for years to come,” said faculty association president Helga Hallgrimsdottir.
Under the deal, academic staff will receive annual pay raises totaling 5.5% over five years as well as additional productivity adjustments of 1.44% in years two and three. Other gains include a new mid-career rank for teaching stream faculty, movement to biennial evaluations and improved renewal, promotion and tenure processes.