After over a year of bargaining, multiple legal disagreements and the threat of a strike looming, NAIT students can finally breathe easy. A new collective agreement has been approved by NAIT Academic Staff Association (NASA) members. On Feb. 12, 77 per cent of NASA members voted, with 92.5 per cent supporting the new agreement. It was also approved by NAIT’s Board of Governors. 

Some of the bargaining sticking points involved wage increases, benefits and coming to an agreement on AI usage. Details have not been made available to the public as the agreement is finalized. 

NASA president Shauna MacDonald says in a press release that members may not see everything they were asking for, but the four-year agreement “represents a solid move forward and a stable foundation to build upon.” 

NAIT’s bargaining webpage also says the agreement “recognizes the important contributions academic staff make to student learning and supports NAIT’s priorities of student success, long-term sustainability, and service to the broader NAIT community.” 

Collective bargaining began in January 2024, but the first bargaining meeting didn’t occur until July 2024. By August, both parties had filed complaints with the Alberta Labour Relations Board. In April 2025, after disagreements on proposals, NAIT and NASA began voluntary mediation. A strike vote was held in January 2026, and 85 per cent of voting NASA members said yes to a strike. The parties returned to mediation in late January, and after weeks of uncertainty for the NAIT community, a deal was reached in February.

Feature photo by Noura Eltinay