Archive for the ‘member emails’ Category
Can You Tell Me? Can Work Hours Be Modified?
Sunday, December 10th, 2023
Modified Work Hours
The concept of a 4-day workweek or having every second Monday off is an appealing idea for many. From time to time, an AESES employee may need or want to adjust their hours of work temporarily or permanently. There is language in the AESES Collective Agreements that allows members to request a modified work schedule.
Members at both UM and UW can request a modified work schedule. It is important to note that while the language in both the AESES-UM and AESES-UW Collective Agreements allows employees to make such a request, approval is not guaranteed. The employer must consider the feasibility of the request by examining particulars such as the type of work the employee does, the Department’s hours of operation, staffing levels and current workloads. If the request is approved on a temporary or permanent basis, it is also important to note that the employer can still amend or cancel the arrangement if they deem it necessary.
As covered in Article 11.2 of the AESES-UW Collective Agreement, UW members can submit a request for a modified work week in writing to their supervisor. When making the request, you should be aware that a modified work week may include but is not limited to, flextime, banked time, or a compressed work week. The employer will consider the request and provide a written response in a reasonable period. If approval is granted by the Employer for a modified work week, the terms and conditions of the modified work week are confirmed in a Letter of Understanding (LOU).
The process is similar for UM members, as outlined in Articles 11.1 and 12.8 of the AESES-UM Collective Agreement. When a recurring exchange of work for time off exceeds one pay period, it is considered a modified work schedule. UM members can submit a request for a modified work schedule to their supervisor. If granted after due consideration by the employer, the terms and conditions of the modified work schedule shall be confirmed by a LOU signed by the Department, Human Resources, the employee(s), and the Association.
If you need assistance with a modified work schedule request, contact us at LabourTeam@aeses.ca.
For info on short-term or one-time schedule change requests, referred to as the Banking of Regular Time, see the Can You Tell Me article in the August 2024 insideAESES newsletter.
2025 Proposed Budget
Sunday, December 10th, 2023
Below is the AESES Finance Committee’s proposed budget for 2025. These estimates are subject to approval by the Board of Representatives at their meeting on December 10, 2024.
| PROPOSED BUDGET ESTIMATES FOR YEAR 2025 | |||
| YTD | BUDGET | ESTIMATES | |
| as of Sept. 30 | 2024 | 2025 | |
| INCOME: | |||
| Dues – U of Manitoba | $1,031,699.03 | $1,338,642 | $1,428,903 |
| Dues – U of Winnipeg | $198,722.13 | $238,945 | $261,320 |
| Dues – St. Andrew’s College | $1,095.01 | $1,441 | $1,528 |
| TOTAL INCOME | $1,231,516.17 | $1,579,028 | $1,691,751 |
| EXPENSES: | |||
| MEMBERS’ SERVICES | |||
| Activities | $36,223.32 | $49,800 | $54,800 |
| Diversity | $- | $2,500 | $2,500 |
| Health & Safety | $- | $- | $2,500 |
| Public relations | $10,882.00 | $23,725 | $20,925 |
| Remuneration | $19,370.75 | $24,240 | $41,675 |
| CCU Affiliation | $52,987.70 | $65,862 | $78,279 |
| Members’ education | $14,346.67 | $33,000 | $30,000 |
| Printing | $- | $1,000 | $2,000 |
| Meeting expenses | $4,073.55 | $3,700 | $14,550 |
| Professional fees | $58,115.88 | $210,500 | $195,500 |
| Special projects | $3,412.50 | $- | $5,500 |
| $199,412.37 | $414,327 | $448,229 | |
| PERSONNEL | |||
| President – salary & benefits | $57,905.68 | $82,835 | $96,269 |
| Staff – salaries & benefits/education | $565,223.83 | $769,077 | $807,749 |
| $623,129.51 | $851,912 | $904,018 | |
| OFFICE OPERATING | |||
| Equipment services | $1,691.98 | $2,750 | $3,050 |
| Office expenses | $11,040.63 | $17,550 | $17,750 |
| Premises | $80,014.53 | $110,000 | $109,000 |
| Professional fees | $22,648.54 | $23,900 | $27,000 |
| Communications | $7,504.98 | $12,500 | $11,000 |
| $122,900.66 | $166,700 | $167,800 | |
| TOTAL EXPENSES | $945,442.54 | $1,432,940 | $1,520,047 |
| OPERATING INCOME (LOSS) FOR PERIOD | $286,073.63 | $146,088 | $171,704 |
| ADDITIONS TO FURNITURE & COMPUTERS | $7,985.77 | $10,000 | $4,000 |
| NET INCOME (LOSS) FOR PERIOD | $278,087.86 | $136,088 | $167,704 |
President’s Message – December 2024
Sunday, December 10th, 2023
Season’s greetings and happy holidays AESES folk!
As the old Andy Williams song proclaims, “It’s the most wonderful time of the year.” For many of us, this is true. It’s a time to reconnect with family and friends, to reflect on the year gone by, and to look forward with anticipation to the year ahead. This is a time to remember what is important to us in life. Family. Friends. Faith. Some of us will have different definitions of what these words mean to us, but in many ways, despite these differences, the fact that we all share in cherishing these values makes us more alike than most would think.
Things have been quite busy here at the AESES office, as well. In addition to the excellent advocacy and representative work the staff do, AESES held its annual children’s holiday party on December 1, this year renamed the Children’s Winter Holiday Extravaganza! With over 250 children and their families, it was a packed house with smiles all around. Brian Glow, International Illusionist and Comedy Magician entertained the crowd with mind-numbing illusions and amazing tricks with audience participation. And of course, Santa also stopped by for a visit. A huge thank you to the members of the Activities Committee and to those who volunteered and helped make the day possible!
Our Labour Team has also been busy with The University of Winnipeg Negotiations Committee, meeting regularly in preparation for the imminent bargaining. Stay tuned for more updates as they become available.
With the winter break fast approaching, I sincerely hope that everyone enjoys this very well-deserved break and all that comes with it, be it travelling home, visiting with family and friends, or just sleeping in to rest and recharge. But let’s not forget those who are less fortunate than us. The holidays can be a trying time for many, with some feeling lonely, stressed, and anxious.
If you find the holidays a rough time for any reason, please know that there are resources available to members and their families to help with the feelings of anxiety, stress, and isolation. You can find a list of wellness resources on our website and please don’t be afraid to access them.
To all, from all of us here at AESES,
please have a very safe and happy holiday season!
Respectfully and In Solidarity,
Rob
P.S. Hardly an afterthought, but we at AESES would all like to acknowledge the profound contribution Executive Director Lisa McKendry has made to AESES in her 20 years of employment with the organization and wish her much luck, love, and happiness in her well-earned retirement. Thank You, Lisa!
Extra, Extra: insideAESES Newsletter (December 2023)
Tuesday, December 5th, 2023
Welcome to December! Yes, that’s correct, December. While it doesn’t look like December with the lack of snow, it does signify the last insideAESES issue of the year.
Before you continue your holiday shopping/baking/celebrating grab an egg-nog-filled Moose Mug and take a few moments to read about:
- A message from AESES president Chris McCann
- Invitation to the AESES Holiday Open House – December 15, 3:00 – 6:00 pm
- Photos from the Children’s Christmas Party
- The Rogers Sugar Strike
- The final 50 for 50 Contest Winners
- New AESES appointments
- 2024 AESES Draft Budget
- Family Care Resources and more
View the December issue and previous ones here.
Happy holidays, and see you at our Open House on December 15th!
Email to AESES-UM Members – UM Pension Plan Change
Tuesday, November 14th, 2023
November 14, 2023
To: All AESES-UM Members
By now, you should have received an email from the University advising of an upcoming change to the UM Pension Plan (1993), if you did not see it in your email Friday, check your Junk Mail folder. The email laid out the reason why this necessary change is required and advised employees that there will be no diminishment of their pension entitlement. AESES has been directly involved in the discussions and wants to assure our members that this is indeed the case.
In 2019, the University notified AESES and the other union and retiree stakeholders at the UM Staff Benefits Committee that it was necessary to make changes to the “1993 Pension Plan” to ensure it remained compliant with Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) rules, and to ensure that retirement annuities could continue to be funded on a long-term basis. This “1993 Pension Plan” is the one that all current members participate in, even if you were just hired. After several special meetings of the Staff Benefits Committee in 2019 and 2020, AESES partnered with UMFA. Together we retained our own external legal and actuarial professionals to ensure the CRA required changes were necessary and implemented properly. While we recognized to come into compliance with CRA rules that changes were necessary, we wanted to ensure the preservation of our members’ existing pension benefits. The counsel we retained engaged with the University’s pension plan administrators and not only protected our interests but was integral to devising a solution that maintained the flexibility and benefits of our pension with guarantees members would see no diminishment of benefit.
Following our recent Staff Benefits Committee meeting on Monday, November 6, the committee has now recommended that the proposed changes we helped craft be accepted and they have now been referred to the Board of Governors for approval. The plan amendments are expected to be implemented in 2024.
The University has provided contact information for the Pension Office should you have any questions about the plan change. However, if you would like to speak with someone from the AESES Business Office regarding this, contact our Labour Relations Officer, Lorne Hilton (lhilton@aeses.ca), who has been central to this process.
Thank you,
Chris McCann
AESES President
AESES Children’s Christmas Party
Tuesday, October 3rd, 2023
It’s almost that time of year! The AESES Activities Committee is excited to announce the annual Children’s Christmas party.
Sunday, December 3, 2023
1:00 – 4:00 pm
University of Manitoba, Fort Garry Campus
MPR, 220-224 UMSU University Centre
The registration deadline was October 30, 2023. No late registrations or walk-ups at the door will be accepted.
Extra, Extra: insideAESES Newsletter (June 2023)
Monday, June 5th, 2023
Welcome to June! Just like the blazing heat, another issue of insideAESES is coming at you!
Grab a nice cold beverage and take a few moments to cool down and read about:
- A message from AESES president Chris McCann
- AGM, Volunteers’ Appreciation Banquet, and Members’ Day Lunches recap
- Questions about break entitlements
- June 50 for 50 Contest
- New AESES appointments
- Ongoing union and member grievances
View the June issue and previous ones here.
Don’t forget the AESES 50th anniversary social is this Saturday, June 10. We only have a small number of tickets left available to purchase. Learn more at https://aeses.ca/social. Visit and follow our new Instagram account to see some of the silent auction prizes up for grabs!
Tragedy in the Middle East: Massive Earthquakes Devastate Turkey and Syria
Tuesday, February 7th, 2023
The earthquakes that recently struck Turkey and Syria have caused widespread destruction and loss of life. Reports now indicate that over 7,400 people have died, and many more have been injured or are missing. The initial earthquake was one of the strongest to hit the region in a century and was felt as far away as Lebanon and Israel.
We are deeply saddened by this tragedy and extend our sincere condolences to all those affected by the disaster. Our thoughts are with our AESES members who may have family and friends in the region during this difficult time. The loss of life and destruction is heartbreaking, and we hope for a swift and thorough response from the authorities and rescue organizations to support those in need on site.
In solidarity,
Chris McCann
AESES President
Notice of Passing – Paul Hazelton, AESES Honourary Life Member-Past President
Monday, January 9th, 2023
We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Paul Hazelton on December 25, 2022. Paul was part of the original group present at the Charter meeting on December 9, 1972, and was instrumental in the creation, growth and success of AESES over the years. As an AESES Honourary Life Member and Honourary Life Member-Past President, Paul was on the AESES Board of Representatives for an astounding 41 years from 1973 – 2014. He held the AESES President position from 1975 – 1978.
Surviving Paul are his wife Valerie, daughter Melissa (Jonny) and son Robert. His obituary and tribute wall can be found here: https://memorials.neilbardalfuneralhome.com/paul-hazelton/5103004/index.php
More information about Paul’s accomplishments and stories of how he helped shape AESES will follow at upcoming events and in future publications.