Archive for the ‘insideAESES’ Category
insideAESES – October 2024
Tuesday, October 1st, 2024
Welcome to October! Wow, where did the summer go? Like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of the Fall. As we welcome, Rob Parker as AESES’ new president, we also have a new look to insideAESES. We are no longer bound to a PDF file and our articles and content will live dynamically on our website. Please be patient with us, as there might be a few hiccups along the way. If you have any questions or comments about the new look, please email contact@aeses.ca.
With that being said, here’s what you might find interesting for this issue:
- President’s Message
- Contract Admin – October 2024
- AESES Appointments – October 2024
- Events
- AESES 2024 Children’s Winter Holiday Extravaganza Registration
- New Faces
- AESES Volunteers’ Appreciation Banquet 2024
- Can You Tell Me? Caregiving Leaves
- Safety and Health Corner – October 2024
- Call For Constitution and Bylaw Changes
Enjoy the month!
Virtual New AESES Members’ Meeting – October 2
Tuesday, September 17th, 2024
Virtual New Members’ Meeting on October 2 at 5:30 pm
If you started at the University of Manitoba or The University of Winnipeg in the past 12 months, please look for your invite sent to your work email on September 17. If you started more than a year ago or didn’t receive the invite, and would like to attend, please send an email to jpothe@aeses.ca to be invited.
This meeting is your chance to:
- Understand your collective agreement and how it protects your rights as an employee.
- Discuss the steps for filing grievances, thinking about reclassifications and navigating office concerns.
- Learn about the services and supports that the AESES Business Office provides.
- Explore exclusive member discounts and offers on everything from mobile plans, to travel, and electronics.
- Get your questions answered!
Don’t miss this opportunity on October 2 at 5:30 pm to maximize your union membership!
Welcome to August – the so-called mid-way point of summer, and it’s also time for the newest issue of insideAESES!
Thursday, August 1st, 2024
Welcome to August – the so-called mid-way point of summer, and it’s also time for the newest issue of insideAESES!
Before you finalize your last vacation details, take a few moments to read this issue, which includes:
- A Memorial for Chris McCann
- A Memorial for Gerry Strom
- AESES Appointments
- Can You Can Be Directed to Flex Your Time to Avoid Overtime Costs?
- Ongoing union and member grievances
- The CCU Affiliate Report for June
View the August issue and previous ones here.
Take care, and enjoy your summer!
Passing of Chris McCann, AESES President
Tuesday, July 16th, 2024
It is with heavy heart that we inform you of the passing of Chris McCann, AESES President. Chris passed away unexpectedly early Sunday morning at his residence. Our thoughts are with Chris’ loved ones, and we extend our heartfelt condolences to them. For now, we kindly ask that you respect the privacy of Chris’ family during this difficult time.
Chris had been deeply involved with AESES since 2000, starting on the UM Negotiation Committee and being active over the years on many committees and Board positions. It culminated with him being elected as AESES President in 2022 and in May, re-elected by acclamation for his second term.
Chris was always eager to join the conversation, and his tenacious commitment and passion have led AESES to where we are today. This loss will be deeply felt by all of us who had the privilege of knowing and working with Chris. A longer tribute will be in the August issue of insideAESES.
If you need support during this time, please don’t hesitate to visit https://aeses.ca/wellness or your respective Human Resources department.
AESES is in the early stages of evaluating this loss to our association. In the meantime, our Executive Vice-President, Karen Simpson, will be the interim President. We will keep all members informed of any updates.
AESES and its members have always been a community that comes together in times of need. As we mourn this loss, let us also celebrate the positive and lasting impact Chris had on our organization and each of us.
Safety and Health Corner – August 2025
Tuesday, July 16th, 2024
AESES Safety & Health Committee Update
The Committee’s next meeting will be in Fall 2025.
Any workplace safety and health items you would like to bring to the committee’s attention can be emailed to labourteam@aeses.ca.
- For more info on UM Local Area Safety and Health (LASH) committees, visit the UM Intranet website.
- For more information on the UW Workplace Safety & Health Committee, visit the UW Human Resources website.
AESES Volunteers’ Appreciation Banquet 2025
Tuesday, July 16th, 2024
Annually, AESES acknowledges, thanks, and celebrates its Board of Representatives and longstanding volunteers. This year’s event took place at the Norwood Hotel at the end of April. Rob Parker, AESES President, presented the following pins and awards after supper:
Bronze Pin – 5 Years of Service
- Michaela Ablaza*
- Joey Pothe
Silver Pin – 10 Years of Service
- Debbie Armstrong
- Tessa Pearen*
- Melinda Sasek
- Colleen Thompson
Gold Pin – 15 Years of Service
- Lynne Wichenko
* pictured
Dedicated Service Award
The Dedicated Service Award was posthumously awarded to Anne Ferenc and presented to Anne’s close friend, Louise Sabourin. Anne’s consistent and unwavering dedication to AESES was recognized with this award. Anne’s contributions to AESES started over 15 years ago with the Board and various committees over the years, ending with the Activities Committee that oversaw the Children’s Winter Holiday Extravaganza, among other events.
Honourary Life Member Award
An Honourary Life Membership is the ultimate recognition by AESES and, therefore, should be considered as being somewhat restrictive. Honourary Life Membership will be granted only to those who have contributed outstanding or meritorious service to the Association over a substantial period of time. This year, Gloria Saindon was recognized with an Honourary Life Membership award at the banquet. Unfortunately, Gloria was unable to attend.
Past-President Memorial
The final presentation of the evening was by Laurie Morris in memory of Chris McCann. Laurie retold stories of Chris’ achievements for AESES and how proud she was to have known him. Laurie then presented Chris’ wife, Karey, a bronzed bison statue in honour of his commitment and past presidency to AESES. The plaque on the statue read, “Chris McCann Thank you for your tenacious commitment to AESES and its membership since 2000, culminating as president in 2024. AESES celebrates your positive and lasting legacy.” Sarah McCann then took the stage for an emotional thank you on behalf of the McCann family.
After the presentations and speeches, the night ended with fun-filled casino games.
A huge thank you to all our volunteers who provide their time and expertise to help the organization and the members. Volunteers are the lifeblood of AESES and essential to continued success and support for members.
If you are reading this and would like to volunteer, visit these respective pages: Board of Representatives or Committees, or email aeses@aeses.ca.
Can You Tell Me: Can The Employer Change My Work Schedule?
Tuesday, July 16th, 2024
While many members enjoy a steady routine in their hours of work, the employer does have the right to alter work schedules as operational needs may require. The employer can make these changes without the approval of the employee; the respective Collective Agreements, however, provide guidelines that ensure employees receive sufficient notice for any such changes.
The guidelines are essentially the same for both Universities, found in Article 12.5 in the UM Collective Agreement and in Article 12.4 for UW. Management is required to give three working days’ notice for a schedule change affecting 1 to 4 days. For emergency changes (UW), or circumstances beyond the employer’s control (UM), they must inform the employee before quitting time on the day before the change takes effect. When the schedule would be changed for greater than 4 days, management is required to give one calendar week’s notice. And finally, if these guidelines for notice are not fulfilled, the employee is entitled to compensation at overtime rates for the first day of the altered schedule.
The employer can alter the work schedule in ways such as the start and end of the workday, say, changing a shift from 8:30-4:30 to 9:00-5:00. However, they do not have the right to extend an employee’s workday on a time-for-time basis, bypassing the Collective Agreement’s provisions for overtime. As an example, with 7 hours being the standard workday for most AESES members, the employer should not schedule a member to work 8 hours one day in exchange for working 6 the next as a way to avoid overtime compensation. Overtime, Callback, and Modified Work Weeks are separate from the type of schedule changes described here.
We encourage our members to reach out to the AESES Business Office with any questions or concerns at labourteam@aeses.ca or 204-949-5200.
And just like that, it’s June! It’s also time for the newest issue of insideAESES!
Wednesday, June 5th, 2024
Before you slather on some sunscreen (or grab an umbrella) and hit the garden or the park, take a few moments to read this issue, which includes:
- A message from AESES president Chris McCann
- The new AESES Representatives and Executive Council for 2024-2026
- Members’ Day Lunch recap
- Questions about submitting your job for classification review
- Details about discounted tickets to an upcoming Winnipeg Goldeyes game
- Ongoing union and member grievances
Board of Representatives for 2024-2026
Wednesday, May 1st, 2024
The AESES Board of Representatives has been secured for the next two years.
AESES would like to congratulate Gloria Saindon on her retirement from the University of Manitoba and thank her for her years on the Board, most recently for District 3, and on the Executive Council as Executive Vice-President. Thank you for all your contributions and dedication to our members! Your knowledge and energetic attitude will be hard to replace.
AESES would like to welcome three new members to the Board of Representatives for May 1:
- James Tharayil, UM (District 1), Purchasing Services
- Catherine McMillan, UM (District 3), Biological Services
- Geoffrey Pagcaliwagan, UM (District 3), Student Life
They join Danielle Saj, UM (District 36), who started with the Board in February.
With these announcements, a few Board Reps also switched districts:
- Melinda Sasek, UM, from District 4 to 2
- Lindsay Bruce, UM, from District 5 to 6
Following this, the new Executive Council will be elected at the May 14, 2024 Board of Representatives meeting and announced the next day.
No foolin’, it’s April! Read the newest issue of insideAESES!
Monday, April 1st, 2024
No foolin’, it’s April! Along with the change in the month, here’s the newest issue of insideAESES!
Grab a chocolate Easter egg and take a few moments to read this issue, which includes:
- A message from AESES president Chris McCann
- Cosmic Bingo Bowling Night recap
- Questions about time-off entitlements for dealing with a family member’s death
- A notice about the Member Communication Survey
- Annual General Meeting details
- Details about joining the UM Retirees Association
- Information about the UM Employees Scholarship
- Ongoing union and member grievances