One thousand members of the Dahousie Faculty Association (DFA) will return to work Thursday after they voted overwhelmingly in favour of their new collective agreement and return-to-work protocol by 95.7 per cent.

Members had been locked out of the university since August 20 after failing to reach a deal after months of bargaining.

In a news release Wednesday, DFA President Dave Westwood says membership was strong and united throughout the entire ordeal.

“We didn’t get everything we wanted – that’s to be expected – but we made significant gains in a number of areas important to our members.”

The deal includes salary increases of 10 per cent over three years and 16 limited term positions will become permanent.

There will also be parental leave increases, salary adjustments, better workload policies and five days of Indigenous paid leave.

A new tentative agreement was reached September 16.

Classes are set to start Tuesday, September 23.