After being told to settle their dispute, and given a 48-hour deadline, the CBC management and the Candian Media Guild (CMG) did just that last night. The Great CBC Lockout looks to be over. Finally.

The deal, as first reported by CBCunplugged, includes a written commitment to permanent staff (at the same levels, too), better contract terms, a premium for dual-langauge reporting, and a 12.6 percent wage increase over the next 18 months.

The Globe and Mail suggests (along with many others, no doubt), that the Mother Corp.’s president, Robert Rabinovitch, will get some intense question directed to him over the whole lock-out.

For now, the pickets are still up until the vote on the deal is done. Expect things to return to normal by Saturday, just in time for Hockey Night in Canada’s return to the airwaves.