Dalhousie University's unionized support staff voted 92 per cent in favour of a new three-year agreement, which narrowly averted a strike planned for Thursday.

The voting ended at 10 p.m. and the results of the vote came in by 10:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

The agreement offers cost of living increases of one per cent in the first year, 3.5 per cent in the second and a 1.75 per cent increase in the third year. The deal is retroactive to July 1, 2011.

Joan Jessome, the president of the Nova Scotia Government and General Employees Union, said the agreement was reached just before 1 a.m. on Wednesday.

The three-year collective agreement was unanimously recommended by the union's bargaining team.

"Money was the issue and the pension was the issue and we believe those issues are resolved and that the membership will accept it," said Jessome said earlier Wednesday.

The 800 support staff, who work throughout the university providing in areas such as the library, information technology and administration, were in a legal position to walk off the job Thursday.