Archive for the ‘member emails’ Category
September 30th is the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation
Monday, September 29th, 2025
It’s 10 years since the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), when Canadians and Indigenous peoples were invited to “climb a mountain” together and forge a relationship that will solve a growing social, economic and climate crisis and unveil what kind of country we will raise our children in. While work on several of the TRC’s 94 calls to action is underway – such as the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation on September 30 – there is much work and a long journey yet to go. As one of this country’s most important institutions, unions must offer visions and tangible ways that all of us can participate in this country’s most important conversation and create workplaces of inclusivity and action. In this way, we can create a Canada with a collective, prosperous future that will show us things we have never seen before.
Dr. Niigaan Sinclair
Professor, Department of Indigenous Studies, University of Manitoba
Niigaan’s words remind us that there is much work to do towards reconciliation, and that while it’s important to reflect on the past, it’s our effort and work going forward that truly makes an impact. We accept this responsibility.
We will commit to ensuring that our union is a positive place, where reconciliation moves forward via education and advocacy, while ensuring that it strives to be a safe and inclusive place for our Indigenous members. We will listen intently, act with integrity and compassion, and take ownership of our actions and attitudes as we navigate calls for justice and for change.
The journey for reconciliation is a shared one. On this, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, we recognize that while it’s important to remember, we must recommit to building a shared and equitable future with dignity and respect.
Rob Parker
President, AESES
National Day for Truth and Reconciliation 2025 Events Listing
Bursary Opportunities – Deadline October 2025
Wednesday, September 3rd, 2025
October is fast approaching, and it is also the deadline for the AESES Bursary, CCU/CSC John St-Amand / Madeleine Parent Bursary. To ensure your dependent child is included in the selection process, please apply before the deadline.
AESES Bursary
Dependent children (who are under 25 years of age prior to enrollment in the current academic year) of signed AESES members studying at either The University of Winnipeg (UW) or the University of Manitoba (UM) may be eligible to apply for one of our $1,000 bursaries. The deadline for both UW and UM is October 1, 2025.
Details for UW Students
Three $1,000 bursaries are available at UW. More information is available here: UW’s Office of Awards and Financial Aid. Apply here: uwinnipeg.ca/awards/apply-for-awards
Details for UM Students
Seven $1,000 bursaries are available at UM. More information and to apply is available here: UM’s Financial Aid and Awards Office. The application form is available here: umanitoba.ca/financial-aid-and-awards/bursaries under “Bursaries requiring application”
CCU/CSC John St-Amand Bursary and Madeleine Parent Bursary
The Confederation of Canadian Unions provides annual bursaries of $1,000 for dependent children of members of unions belonging to the CCU/CSC for the purpose of furthering their post-secondary education.
Visit the John St-Amand / Madeleine Parent Bursary page for more information and to apply. The deadline is October 10, 2025.
New
Manitoba Unions Indigenous Bursary in Labour Studies
The bursary has a value of $5,000 and will be offered for the first time in 2024-2025 to an Indigenous undergraduate student in the Labour Studies department at the University of Manitoba.
Visit the Manitoba Federation of Labour page for more information and to apply.
AESES Volunteers’ Appreciation Banquet 2025
Friday, August 1st, 2025
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.
President’s Message – August 2025
Friday, August 1st, 2025
Ah – the dog days of summer!
The thought often connotes lazy doggos, lounging and relaxing in the summer heat. At least that is what I see in my mind’s eye. Historically, however, the adage has had a completely different meaning. More specifically, it was associated with the rising of the star Sirius, which ancient folk believed coincided with extreme temperatures, eventually driving people and, yes, even dogs mad!
These days, however, we understand that it is merely just a wonderful time of year to take some time off, recharge, and enjoy the hopefully great weather we all so much deserve.
Things are no different at AESES, where our folks, both paid and volunteer, look forward to taking time to spend with family and friends. Still, there are always things happening to ensure that our members are well cared for and that our best interests are kept at the forefront.
Bargaining at The University of Winnipeg is underway, and at the University of Manitoba, the deadlines for the submission of proposals and nominations for the Negotiation Committee have now passed. We have had many proposals from our members, and the negotiation committee will soon begin the work of preparing these submissions for the bargaining table. The Bargaining Committee will then be struck from this body and will begin to bargain in earnest with the University.
Information on the process at the UM can be found here if you’re interested. Please keep an eye on this space as well as on our website and social media (Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn) for updates.
Both the Winnipeg Blue Bombers game on July 18 and the Winnipeg Goldeyes afternoon on July 27 were well attended, and a wonderful time was had by all. A huge shout-out to all four of our local sports teams for the great deal they provided again for our members!
Finally, I would like to remind you that we have deals in place for member discounts with both Perkopolis and Union Savings on a variety of goods and services. Lots of ‘em! Please take advantage! You can learn more here.
Enjoy these wonderful dog days of summer! Remember – AESES is here – whenever you need us!
In Solidarity,
Rob
Members’ Day Lunch 2025
Sunday, June 1st, 2025
Thank you to the hundreds of members who attended our Members’ Day Lunches at the UM Bannatyne, UM Fort Garry, and UW campuses. This year, over 730 members registered to join us. This was our largest turnout ever! It was amazing to see everyone and enjoy lunch! Over $300 in monetary contributions were collected, and over 95 pounds of non-perishable food was delivered to the campus food banks. Thank you for your generosity!
University of Manitoba – Bannatyne Campus – May 7
University of Manitoba – Fort Garry Campus – May 21
The University of Winnipeg – May 28
25 Years of Service
During lunch, President Rob Parker acknowledged members who have 25 years of service and presented them with a token of appreciation.
25 Years of Service – 2025
Sunday, June 1st, 2025
During our 2025 Members’ Day Lunches, President Rob Parker acknowledged members who have 25 years of service and presented them with a token of appreciation. Congratulations to the following members:
University of Manitoba – Bannatyne Campus
- Kathryn Chmelnytzki
- Jose Coreas
- Jean Lyon
- Terri Martin
- Ginger Shurek
- Ruth-Ann Soodeen
University of Manitoba – Fort Garry Campus
- Jeff Durston
- Pauline Lawson
- Louise Roy
- Fred Wong
The University of Winnipeg
- Karen Barkhouse
- Mark Bezanson
- Christy Campbell
- Stefanie Dram
- Colin Fijal
- Marnie Loewen
- Mark Rogowski
- Brad Russell
- Carmine Vizza
Safety and Health Corner – June 2025
Sunday, June 1st, 2025
AESES Safety & Health Committee Update
The Committee held its Winter term meeting on April 2, 2025. The main topics of discussion were incident reporting, prevention auditing, and training provisions. These discussions focused on understanding the current practices and procedures to see where work may be required by AESES and this Committee to help facilitate improvements in these areas. No items were identified as requiring action at this time. As requested at the previous meeting, the AESES office is continuing to explore ways to best facilitate communication and info/document sharing between meetings for the Safety & Health Committee members. The next meeting will be held 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.
AESES appointed UM LASH Representative Vacancies:
- Admin UC LASH Committee
- Education, St, Paul’s, St. John’s, NCTR or CATL LASH Committee
If you are an AESES-UM member working in one of these LASH districts and are interested in sitting on the AESES Safety & Health Committee and being the AESES-appointed representative on this LASH committee for a 2-year term, please contact 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.
President’s Message – June 2025
Sunday, June 1st, 2025
Ah, June! The time when many of us look forward to the warmth of summer, to planning vacation time, and reconnecting with our friends and family. A time for warmth, community, and continued solidarity. And as always, no matter the season, AESES continues to fight for equity, member rights, and respect in the workplace. But that’s not all…
We do have some exciting activities coming up over the summer months. A chance for us all to connect, boost morale, and remind ourselves that life definitely does not center around the work day! Over the coming months, we will be providing deals for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, Winnipeg Sea Bears, Winnipeg Goldeyes, and Valour FC. Tickets for these events are specifically discounted for AESES members. I’m reminded that teamwork in sports is not unlike the teamwork we need in the labour movement. All of us are working together towards a common goal. Watch your email and our website for more details.
June is also Pride Month, and our union stands proudly with 2SLGBTQIA+ members. Inclusion is not optional—it’s foundational to the labour movement. We support safe, respectful workplaces where all members can thrive without fear of discrimination.
Finally, as I stated in our last update, bargaining is about to get underway at The University of Winnipeg. We held our first AESES-UW Members Meeting on May 29 and presented the members in attendance with proposals that will begin the bargaining process with the employer.
We’ll also be calling for proposals and creating the University of Manitoba’s Negotiation Committee imminently. We stand firm in our commitment to securing strong collective agreements that protect wages, improve working conditions, and defend the rights we’ve fought so hard to win.
Our union is only as strong as its members are engaged. Make sure to watch for email updates and to follow us on social media (Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn)!
In Solidarity,
Rob
Join Us for Our Members’ Day Lunch
Wednesday, April 16th, 2025
Join us for your choice of a barbequed hamburger or hot dog, along with coleslaw, potato chips, and a refreshing lemonade or iced tea. If you have a dietary restriction, please include it in your registration.
Please support your campus Student Food Bank by donating non-perishable food OR a monetary donation. In appreciation, your name will be entered into a draw to win a prize!
University of Manitoba – Bannatyne Campus
- May 7, 12:00 – 1:00 pm and 1:00 – 2:00 pm
Buhler Atrium*NEW LOCATION*
JOE DOUPE CONCOURSE
2nd Floor Basic Medical Sciences Building
The deadline to register was April 23, 2025
University of Manitoba – Fort Garry Campus
- May 21, 12:00 – 1:00 pm and 1:00 – 2:00 pm
MPR, UMSU University Centre
The deadline to register was May 7, 2025
The University of Winnipeg
- May 28, 12:00 – 1:00 pm and 1:00 – 2:00 pm
Riddell Hall
The deadline to register was May 14, 2025
Register here!
