The University of Manitoba and members of the AESES-UMSS union reached an agreement Tuesday afternoon, effectively ending the lockout imposed by the university.

Security Services officers will be able to return to work beginning August 25, 2010, at 7:00 a.m..

“The University of Manitoba is pleased to see this matter resolved without too much inconvenience to the university community,” said John Danakas, a spokesperson for the university.

John Urkevich, a representative from AESES, explained that there were a couple of significant changes that the university had wanted to make in the July 15th offer, in regards to the disciplinary article of the AESES-UMSS collective agreement.

The union had rejected these changes, and through further negotiations the university agreed to “keep it status quo” as it was originally written in the agreement, which led to the membership voting to accept the new agreement, Urkevich told the Manitoban.

It was also agreed to maintain current staffing levels, which require a minimum of three security officers to patrol the Fort Garry campus and two officers to patrol the Bannatyne campus, although the university will no longer guarantee these levels at all times.

During the lockout, the university was patrolled by managers of UMSS along with the help of the private security firm Forensic Investigations Canada.