The Chronicle Herald's locked out press operators back on job Monday

The union representing 13 locked out employees at Nova Scotia's largest newspaper says the workers have accepted a tentative agreement with the company.

The Halifax Typographical Union says the press operators and mechanics at the Halifax Chronicle Herald voted by a majority on Saturday to accept the deal.

In a news release, Martin O’Hanlon, president of CWA Canada, the HTU’s parent union, said it’s "a tough deal for the workers to take, but they saw no other option."

He said it was either take the deal or stay on the picket line for weeks or months. 

"It's a lousy deal with a patronizing and intransigent employer, and it certainly could have been settled without a lockout if the company had just been reasonable," O’Hanlon said.

"Mr. Dennis (the former long-time Herald owner) would never have acted this way against loyal, long-time employees. The company’s treatment of the pressmen has angered many other staff who have no confidence in the current senior management team."

The workers were locked out Feb. 21 after the company said the employees turned down a proposal from management.

The Chronicle Herald said in a statement Friday that the tentative deal provides the company with significant long-term cost savings, while maintaining current compensation levels for the workers over the term of the agreement.

Union president Ingrid Bulmer says she is not happy with the deal and that it removes early retirement benefits for the employees.

She says the pressroom workers will be back on the job on Monday.