Deal Narrowly Accepted, But...

The vote on whether Ontario's colleges instructors goon strike is too close to call -- so the stress in schools will continue for awhile still.

But if the early numbers hold the students may no longer be facing a strike.

Results announced late last night indicate the instructors voted by about 51 per cent in favour of the contract offer.

52 per cent of instructors at Confederation College also supported the deal.

Ted Montgomery, head negotiator for the union, says the margins its at about 200 votes -- and about 300 mail-in ballots remain to be counted.

So the Ontario Labour Relations Board will review the ballots and the results may not be known for up to 10 days or more.

The instructors had set a strike date of next Wednesday, but if the offer is ultimately rejected, a new strike date will be determined.

Lead college negotiator Rachael Donovan says she is pleased so many faculty saw the offer as "fair and reasonable,'' but added she too will wait for the official province-wide results before declaring victory.

The college's offer includes a 5.9 per cent salary increase to a maximum of 102-thousand dollars a year by September, 2011.