ANTIGONISH, N.S. -- Striking academic workers at St. Francis Xavier University in Nova Scotia received cheques from other faculty unions on Friday during a rally.

Brian Brown of the Canadian Association of University Teachers gave the union a cheque for $1 million.

The cheque is an interest-free loan from the national body.

Brown also says representatives from faculty unions across the country will come to Antigonish once a week to join the St. Francis Xavier workers on the picket line.

The university workers were joined at a rally by representatives from the two other unions on campus, university students and area residents.

Officials with Nova Scotia's St. Francis Xavier University and the school's striking faculty association also met for informal talks during the afternoon.